You Will be Mine
by Jenalise
Summary: Draco is a vampire, wants Hermione
1. Chapter 1

AN: This plot has been running through my mind for a while. Comments are very welcomed since this is the first time I'm posting for anybody but my friends so be gentle!On with the show...Draco Malfoy had the ideal life. Rich, extremely handsome, charismatic, you name it, he had it. With his father in Azkaban, he now was Lord Malfoy, in charge of vast estates, enough money to buy a few counties and the newly formed friends that had eluded him since the age of 11. The young man had finally made the decision and went to Headmaster Dumbledore, along with a few Slytherins, they had become spies for the light. After a few months of nerve-wrecking work for the Order, Draco was finally accepted into the small circle of the 'golden trio', which they now jokingly renamed the 'circle' amongst themselves to include Ginny and Pansy. Yes, anyone looking at the youth would say his life had turned to the ideal wizard way of being. Even with the knowledge of what would happen this night, Draco Malfoy slowly walked out of Malfoy Manor. Contemplating his surroundings carefully, knowing that the morning would bring an irreversible change to his new and perfect life. He laid on the grass next to his mothers favorite beds, looking up at the stars in the heavens, praying to the gods that his inheritance wouldn't cost him the friendships that by now he so desperately depended on. Hermione Granger wasn't your average 16 year old girl. Even by wizarding standard, she was unique in that she was one of the Boy-Who-Lived best friends. That alone warranted some extra attention. Even apart from that, he brilliance was something that couldn't be hidden. The girl in question was sitting at her muggle home, in front of the pine vanity, wrestling her hair into a braid. The wild hair was the only thing that she retained of her youth, that and the diminutive height, as Harry and Ron loved to tease her about, having finally filled out into the body of a woman. She smiled as her eyes caught the reflection of the picture on her nightstand, one of the few magical objects in her room. The moving photograph was of the last day of school. Harry in the middle, making goofy faces and laughing with his head thrown back, arms around Ron and herself. Pansy was waving at the camera, smile whenever Ron nudged her. Ginny was sitting on the ground, with their robes discarded all around her, leaning into Harry's legs. Draco was standing next to Hermione, looking at her as if he was out of place among the smiling friends. Every few seconds, Hermione would through an arm around his shoulders and encourage him to join in on the celebratory picture. She smiled at the picture. As always, her eyes trailing to the image of Draco. Every time she looked at him, she had to force her heart to slow, knowing the a crush on the Malfoy Lord had no place in real life. She shut the lights, slowly climbing into bed, not knowing that this night would change the course of several lives, most of all hers. What y'all think? Reviews will get you cookies and a new chapter!!


	2. Chapter 2

That very morning, Narcissa Malfoy was gracefully walking in her garden, carrying a throw in her slender arms. A frown of worry crossed her beautiful face as she saw her only son laying in a pool of blood.

She knelt beside him, feel the pulse on the side of his necked, smiling when she felt the heart beat. Her boy was sometimes such a baby when he was ill. She brought a finger to her lips and bit down with her razor sharp fang. She opened her sons mouth and held her finger over his mouth, squeezing a few drops of the warm blood into him.

The affects were immediate. Silver eyes bolted open-the young mans hands flew up to his grasp his mothers slender hand, trying to draw the source of his relief closer. Narcissa took advantage of her position and managed to pull her arm away right before her son's grip became too strong.

Merlin. That was the first thing Draco thought when he awoke. His body felt as if a million dull and rust knives had decided to slowly cut into him, one at a time. The pain was like no other, blindingly perverse and unrelenting. He tried to call out for something-mercy, death, he did not know, but he discovered that his throat was apparently made of fire like the rest of his body.

When he felt as if he would die, he caught a smell in the air. It smelled indescribable-like all his favorite sweets, the air after a thunderstorm, his mothers flowery perfume, and a trace of what he couldn't quite place. When he felt a hand on his chin, he opened his mouth and that liquid slowly poured into his lips. Merlin! It tasted a million times better then it smelled! He struggled to open his eyes and see where the sweet nectar was coming from when it was cruelly taken away. He let out a whimper, closing his eyes and licking his lips to see if his had missed a drop.

"Now, now, love. We mustn't forget our manners." Said a voice he recognized belonging to his mother, but somehow was different. He slowly opened his eyes, squinting up at the intense sun.

Slowly, his senses came back to him. There was still the pain of something he couldn't touch, but not so unbearable as before.

When he managed to focus, the first sight that met him were with big, gorgeous brown eyes. He blinked and only saw his mother, looking down at him with a worried smile.

"How are you feeling, love?" She asked gently, brushing his hair off his forehead.

"Hurts." Was the only thing he managed to blurt out before he felt his fangs for the first time. He ran his tongue over them a few times, testing the new teeth. He gave his mother a wolfish smile, showing that he really was feeling better. With her help he slowly sat up, feeling the earth swaying at the motion.

"Welcome to the rest of your life, mon amour." Madame Malfoy whispered into his ears, knowing that the drastic changes of last night would never leave them the same.

Hermione awoke with a start at midnight, according to the clock on the nightstand. Sweat was pouring off her and she quickly got up off her bed, turning on her lamp. She checked the amulet that Pansy had given them all, a charmed crystal that would glow red and hot if there was any danger to there circle of friends. The stone was clear, so that clamed her. She looked around, noting nothing out of place.

She put on a robe and went downstairs to the kitchen. On her way back to her room, she noticed that the study light was on.

"Isn't it a bit late to be working, mum?" She asked with a smile, walking into the cozy room and sitting down on the overstuffed chaise, tucking her feet under her.

Mrs. Granger looked up with a returned smile. "Yes, darling. Remember what I always say-A woman must work Twice as hard as a man and never, ever, let them get the upper hand." hermione finished for her, having been listening to the same words since she was a young child.

Jane Granger just smiled. Hermione was her hope. All of her unfulfilled dreams now rested on her daughters shoulders. The fact the she was a witch didn't really impede her plans for the young girl. No, her daughter was meant to make a difference in the world.

With sly lead, she had guided the young woman's footsteps. She was brilliant, beautiful and completely independent of any man. The one bump that might have been disastrous was Viktor Krum. That boy was the first one Hermione had mentioned with any details, bringing painfully restless nights to Jane.

No, her daughter wouldn't fall prey to senseless love. She thanked God that that affair had ended quickly and no harm was done to the future career of her daughter.

No, love was not in her plans for Hermione, but a brilliant career, the career that she should have had. "Why don't you go back to bed, dearest. I have some new books that I brought for you that I want you to go through before you leave to be with your friends."

"Ok. Goodnight, Mum." Hermione said, standing up and kissing her mothers cheek.

As she climbed into her bed, she sighed. There was something different, something she couldn't place. She glanced over at the picture, her eyes resting on Draco for a split second. As always, she pushed the thought away. Draco would only be her friend. Instead of what, she didn't know, but her future held no room for petty crushes as her mum helped her realize a while back.

Yes, a friend and nothing else. She would work hard and achieve success to repay her mother and father for all the sacrifices they had made for her, especially her poor mother, leaving her rising career to give her a proper upbringing.

OMG!! I cant believe I got reviews!! Thanks a million!


	3. Chapter 3

Molly Weasley looked out the kitchen window at her youngest kids and their guest. Ron and Pansy were just floating around on brooms, talking. Harry and Ginny were cuddled together, giggling and laughing over a magazine, leaning against a tree.

That little relationship worried her just a tad. Harry was like a son to her, she had the utmost confidence with her only daughter and would kill for the boy. It was her Ginny that needed to be watched. Molly knew that her daughter was very strong and independent and stubborn, just like yours truly. No, Harry was the tame one in that relationship, which made a small smile appear in her face for a few seconds; Arthur and herself had a similar relationship most of the time. Being a woman with a big family and limited income had that affect on a woman, having to make things appear when money wasn't enough, but mostly having to manage five very boisterous boys and a girl that thought she was the only girl in the world that had the disaster of being the single girl so she developed a thick skin, having learned the hard way to hold her own against the playful attacks of the boys.

As the relationship with Harry progressed, Molly noticed an inner calm that wasn't there before, a certain glow and a grace that was brought out only by Harry. Harry on the other hand had become happier, a bounce in his step and a true smile hidden just beneath his lips. Now when he smiled, the mirth reached his gorgeous eyes. The angst was still there, but it was not over consuming. Before, he had been extremely shy, never asking for anything, eating as little as possible, trying not to be a bother. Now, he ran around the house crazily, opening the icebox and grabbing at the food as if it would disappear, just like her other boys.

The best though was when Ron brought Harry with him right when school ended for the summer. The boy had grown a few inches over the year, now towering over her by a few inches, not as tall as Ron, but still towering over her. He let go of Ginny's hand and enveloped her in a bear hug, simply saying "Missed you mum" had sent her into hysterical sobbing. She had grabbed the boy, noticing that she was cutting off his air supply. Ron and Arthur had to pry her off him. Now, that had become a habit, he would just walk up and wrap his arms her and give her a kiss on the forehead or check, making her heart bigger and a warm glow come to her face.

Yes, Harry had stolen her heart as a little boy, now he had buried himself in it and not even death would take him out.

Ron was occasionally sneaking peaks at Harry and Ginny, making sure things were being kept PG. Pansy had wanted to go flying, and course he couldn't deny her such a simple request, I mean, who can when she batted her eyes like that and gave him such a cute smile.

"So, what's on the plan tomorrow?" Pansy asked, in that cute little voice that made his heart skip a few beats.

"Whatever you want. He could play a bit of Quidditch or something." Ron replied, desperately trying to keep his eyes on her face.

Pansy smiled to herself. Ginny and herself had spent around half an hour this morning picking out what to wear when she woke up this morning. It was a rushing feeling to know a man such as Ron was admiring her 'assets' that were being so well displayed for his convenience.

Harry and Ginny had managed to sneak a few kisses hear and there when Ron was distracted by Pansy. Pretending to read a magazine was actually helping, hiding their faces partially behind it.

Harry had finally realized his love for Ginny. In his heart, he was thankful for his wretched temper. Without it, he wouldn't have noticed the stunning woman that he had now. When he had first met his girlfriend, she was just Ron's baby sister, almost invisible because of her shyness around him. As the years progressed, they had developed a nice friendship. Then his obsession with Cho had come up and that had been when no one else had really garnered his attention.

After that ended, Harry noticed that Ginny had grown up. She had become beautiful to him but now she was dating. He bitterly remembered trying to keep his temper down every time she had a new guy. When they had finally gotten together, Harry knew this was it. He would marry this woman and they would be a family. This thought had been in his mind since the start of summer holiday.

Ginny loved him for him. Not the Hero or for the money, but for himself and his personality. She was his sole focal point, where he could draw his happiness and hope for the future. He knew that Ginny would be there beside him, always with the tender look of love in her eyes and a ready smile to ease his troubles.

"Dinners ready!" Molly yelled out the window. The boys looked at each other with a smile, both of them getting to their feet and running like lunatics towards the back door of Black Manor. Molly just smiled as the boys, red faced and panting sat at the table and grabbing at the food in serving bowls as if the food were to disappear at any second.

Yes, life was very good right now, Molly thought, not knowing the changes that would occur in all their lives in the upcoming weeks.

AN: Y'all rock! Love the reviews, thanks a trillion to everybody.


	4. Chapter 4

Draco was admiring his new body in front of the mirror in the bedroom suite. The changes in his body were subtle, nothing to really notice unless you study his body. The muscles were defined and toned, but not bulky. He had also apparently grown a few extra inches, much to his pleasure.

His face had lost the sharpness that had plagued him all his life. Now his jaw was more square, more masculine, his nose was regular, losing the point at the tip that Hermione had so sweetly kissed when he had taken leave of his friends for the summer.

But the biggest change was his eyes. Before they were just a slightly above average silver. It was his expressions that garnered the attention of the opposite sex and fear in his so called friends. But now, now they were a riot of colors. As he looked at his reflection, he saw swirls of different shades of blue, gray and green.

His eyesight continued to fascinate him. Even after three days, he had yet to accustom himself to it. It was as if the whole world was reborn with him. He could see layers of everything. Even something as simple as a piece of parchment held his attention. He could see every detail, every particle of what made said item. The world was a riot of colors, enough to have sent his to sensory overload, as his mother called it, the very night after his inheritance. His potions professor and godfather had sent him a potion to help keep his new senses in control until he had assimilated to the new changes.

At first, his thoughts were of Hermione. She had said many times that his eyes were like a puzzle for her, one that she wanted to solve very badly. For the past few days, his thoughts had increasingly strayed to the girl. She had been the last one to accept his hand in friendship, but hers is the friendship that mattered the most to him. Pansy was his friend, since they were toddlers, they were together. Harry and Ron were a complicated pair. They would not trust him, even after Dumbledore had informed them of his true allegiances. No, they held their little circle tightly, never letting him even close to the edge.

When the headmaster had announced that Draco would begin combat training with Harry and Ron, all three boys looked at the old wizard as if he were mental. Well, three hours later, after a broken right toe, four bruised ribs and eyes, a broken pair of glasses, and several cuts and gashes, the young men were thick as thieves, as if the past six years had never happened.

Draco had noticed Pansy's interest in Ron, for which she was immensely teased for by Draco, he had given his 'blessing' for her to pursue him, with of course following the traditional pureblood ways.

Now the Weaslette, she was a strange one. He knew what it was like to be on the receiving end of one of her curses, like when she had said an 'insulting' comment out of jest to her beloved boyfriend.

But now he was in. He now had friends. True friends that would stand by him, rich, poor, moody or stable, they would still be there. Of course he had Pansy, but he had certainly missed having any true male companions growing up. None of the other Slytherin's really counted, he held court over them, not sharing secrets and jokes.

"Hello Darling." Narcissa greeted after a short knock on the double doors of his bedroom.

"Mother, it is entirely improper for you to just barge in here like that." Draco said, holding out his hand as his chosen shirt floated to him, slipping it on as his mother walked further into the room, past him and gracefully sitting herself in one of the green leather chairs that surrounded the fireplace and the large windows overlooking the Quiditch pitch.

Narcissa smiled warmly at her only child. Now a man, with his destiny waiting to be found out. She saw the book that she had given him last summer to prepare him for his change. Vampyres: Our story, was the book that had gotten her through the change when she was a young girl. Now it belonged to her child, her beloved son, who was now his own man.

"I fear the time has come to let you go, my darling." Narcissa said, in a haltering catch in her voice.

"Mother, I really wish you would keep your emotions a little more to yourself. You are the Lady of this house, it seems as if my coming of age has made you forget the fact." Draco said, softening his words with a gentle smile, the razor-sharp tips of his new teeth peeking out of his ruby red lips.

"Must you go dear? I know that Grimmauld Place is safe, but can you not spend a little more time with me?"

"Mother, I will be fine. I must get used to being around people to get used to the hunger. What would happen if I went back to school and went into a bloodlust when faced with all the other students? Besides, I miss everyone and birthday celebrations are going to start soon. The Weasley's want to throw Harry and me a birthday party next week. So I'll see you then."

"I have a feeling that if you go there, nothing will ever be the same, love." Narcissa said softly, standing up and going to her son. Ever since his 14th birthday, he had grown taller then her. Now as she gazed up at his eyes, which were currently a bright blue, her heart did not want to admit that her only child was not a child anymore. The night that he had received his gift, he had accepted her help and blood. The next night, he had fed alone, coming back to the manor with a gloating smile.

"No, mother, nothing will ever be the same." Draco said, smiled and kissing his mothers hand and calling for a house elf to remove his luggage. He was ready, for what, he could not be certain, but whatever it was, he had friends to face it with.

Hermione smiled when her father walked into the study. She was currently absorbed in the book that her mother had given her, a collection of short biographies of women throughout history who had been great. Queens, warriors, scientists, revolutionary characters in history that seduced her into a world where women were in control.

"What are you up to, sweetheart?"

"Nothing, just some light reading." Hermione replied. She closed her book and sat up, making room for her father to sit next to her.

Richard Granger was devoted to his daughter. She was the light of his life ever since she came into this world; wailing and squirming, she had captured his heart fully. He doted on her and tried to provide a loving force to the background of her life. He knew that Jane wasn't perfect, he knew that his wife had extreme expectations for his baby girl.

"How about we go take a walk, sweetheart? You leave tonight and your mother has taken up all your time this summer."

"You know what, that sounds wonderful, daddy. Let me get some trainers on and we could go." Hermione said, getting up and running upstairs to her bedroom.

Half an hour later, the two were walking arm in arm to the park that was only a few blocks away from her house. "You're awfully quiet today, sweetie." Richard said after some minutes of silence.

"I've been thinking Daddy." Hermione said quietly. Her father was so much different then her mother. She knew that she could speak from the heart to him, the talks that they had together had always left her feeling clear, like she could face things on her own, but also knowing that she had him and her friends behind him. When she spoke to her mother, their conversations almost always centered on her future, her career, what would she do in her life; always making her feel that she must fulfill her mothers carefully cultivated plans. She only wanted what was best for me.' Hermione always told herself.

"Daddy, do you love Mum?" Hermione asked suddenly, sitting down on a park bench. Looking at his face, seeking the answer before he spoke.

"You know, I really do. Your mother had my attention from the moment I met her." Richard said with a small smile. "I know it may seem as if we're a bit distant, but I do love her, faults and all."

"I know she loves you too, but sometimes I feel as if we're not up to par with her. I want to make both of you proud of me, daddy."

"Oh, honey! I could never not be proud of you. You're the sun, the moon, and the stars to me. I just want you to do what you're happy doing. Whether you want to rule the world or be a housewife. I know that I would not change a single curly hair of yours." Richard said with laugh, tugging on a curl of hair that escaped the ponytail.

"I love you too, daddy. The only man I love." Hermione said, laying her head on his shoulder.

"What about Harry and Ron? They're your friends."

"Oh yes, of course I love them too. But you're number one." She said, giving him a quick peck on the check.

"C'mon, your mother would panic if she cant get in a few more hours with you before you leave." Richard said, standing up with his daughter, tucking her arm in the crook of his.

Yes, she thought. The final few hours of every summer was always spent with her mother, reminder her of how to behave and all that.

But tomorrow starts the adventure. Every year brought new surprises, knowledge, journeys and most importantly, her friends. Yes, she had a feeling that changes were coming, and she was excited to see what they were.

AN: Hey y;all!! Next chapter, Draco and Hermione together. I wanted to post this chapter tomorrow night, but I read Tiffany;s review, so here you go. If anyone has any questions, I will answer them. Again, this is the first story I write and I don;t have a beta. If I get confusing, just ask. I have the story pretty much planned out, so until next time. And remember, more reviews brings more chapters. Night!!


	5. Chapter 5

My Dear Headmaster and trusted friend,

My utmost and sincere apologies for not corresponding with you sooner. As you know, events have kept me away. I would like to announce that my son has received his inheritance without problems, as you had so wisely stated. He is on his way to spend the rest of the holidays with his friends, as previously arranged. I do hope that you will tell them of Draco's new status, as I would hate for there to be any disturbances in the relations that they all have acquired. Mr. Snape has very generously provided the potions necessary for Draco to control his urges while in the company of others.

Please watch over my child, Professor. I am having a difficult time knowing that my baby is no longer my baby. Well, enough with the pathetic show of emotions by this sad old woman. I shall see you at the birthday party later on. Please be sure that you have my esteem and affection for the favor that you have shown my family.

Every your student, ally and friend,

Lady N. Malfoy

Albus Dumbledore reread the letter from his former student, with a smile on his face, he refolded the parchment, locking it in a drawer and standing up. He had a visit to pay to the children at headquarters, hoping that Miss Granger had arrived before Mr. Malfoy. This year, he had a strong feeling that it would be defining. The war was coming, faster than he wanted. He had struggled to keep the children just that. He had tried to hide things and shelter them, but now things were coming to a head. No, he needed to prepare the boys. If he couldn't prevent the war, he would make sure they had the best odds possible. And now with a born vampire on their side, they had a tremendous advantage.

Merlin, they had all better make it through this, or heaven help whomever hurt those kids.

Hermione came sliding into the fireplace at exactly 2:30 in the afternoon, as expected. She slid into the drawing room, getting stopped by the trunk that she had floed over a minute before. Before she can even stand, she was pulled up by her arms, being almost crushed by Harry. She laughed, hugging him back as tight as she could.

"Alright, alright! Let me get in there too, mate." Ron said, pulling them apart and giving the small women a hug too, lifting her off the floor a few inches. By the time they had pulled away, all three were covered in soot.

"Let me take a good look at you." Hermione said with a wide smile. Yes, this place definitely felt like home. "Gee, you both have grown so much!" Hermione smiled. She reached up and pinched Ron's nose and ruffled up Harry's hair.

"Now, both of you step back and let us have a go at her." Ginny said, walking into the room with Pansy in tow. Both boys backed away, knowing that when Ginny issued and order, they had better obey, or face the bad end of her wand. Pansy said a quick scourgify on Hermione before both girls rushed to her, enveloping the newcomer in hugs, all three talking at the same time.

"Ahh, I see you are all here and in good company." Dumbledore said, walking into the room in his velvet purple robes with blue and green stars everywhere. The same twinkle in his eyes that all the teenagers in the room had joked about privately.

After the greetings were made, Dumbledore closed and warded the doors, casting several strong privacy charms. "Well, I just wanted to have a quick chat with you all about Mr. Malfoy before he arrives. Miss Parkinson, I do believe you already know what this conversation is leading to." Dumbledore steeped his fingers, looking at the four teens, his eyes made contact with each of them, making sure they knew that this would be a serious conversation. "What do you know about Vampires?" The old wizard asked, deciding that the best way to break the news would be to offer the information up front, so that they would have time to accustom themselves before the boy arrived.

"Well, they of course drink blood. They cant go into daylight. Um, they practice mostly the dark arts." Hermione replied.

"Let me stop you right there, my dear. Those are mostly preconceived notions, most of them by the muggle world in fact. Mr. and Miss Weasley can attest to that later on. But for now, time is running out, and I must give you some news about Mr. Malfoy that may come as a shock to most of you.

"You see, Mr. Malfoy has just had his 18th birthday, at the time he has received an 'inheritance', his birthright from his mother's side of the family. My dear children, Mr. Malfoy is a born-vampire, what they call a daywalker." Dumbledore said finally, trying to gauge the reactions of the youths.

Ron and Ginny, were shocked, but both quickly realized the advantage that they now had from their friend. Hermione and Harry were the ones that apparently had no idea on how to process this news. "But-I mean how?" Harry questions, his head swimming.

"I believe you're friends and Mr. Malfoy himself can answer your questions, but for now I must ask. Do any of you have any open cuts or anything of the sort that blood can be seen?" at the shaking of all heads, he continued.

"Professor Snape has provided Draco with a potion that shall prevent any problems and will cloud his new urges slightly, but I do not want to tempt him yet. I want you all to treat him as always. If you have any questions, ask him, I do not want any unnecessary or uncomfortable conversations or fights among any of you. Remember, this is still Draco Malfoy, your friend."

The teens all looked at each other, confirming their resolve wordlessly. "I know that this is strange for you all, but I know that Draco is really terrified of the changes. He may not want to admit it, even to himself, but deep down, what he's most afraid of is losing the friendship that we all have now." Pansy said, looking at their faces, imploring them to keep the bonds that have been made.

"No, things are the same. Just as long as I don't find him over my bed in the middle of the night with him trying to suck my neck. Then I'd have to kick his arse." Harry said with a smile, breaking the tension in the room.

"Wait a minute, professor. I guess this means that we will have to hold all the trainings at night, right?" Hermione asked the headmaster. Something was different. She had a very strange feeling, like something was missing or out of place. She didn't know, but right now, she could not afford any distractions.

As her mother had told her, she wasn't getting any younger. They would end the war this year, she would graduate and start her career, maybe make her mother proud. And no distractions could deter her from that path.

"Well, here I am." Draco said out loud to himself. The black Lexus pulled up to the front of number 12, Grimmauld Place. The chauffeur opened his door, and Draco stepped out of the car, buttoning up his black suit coat. He adjusted his sunglasses slightly, his eyes were still a bit sensitive, even with the fresh blood he had consumed right before the short trip from the train station. He walked slowly up the cracked stone pathway, twisting his platinum ring around his fingers nervously. His mother had given him the piece of jewelry, a gorgeous piece with the Malfoy crest surrounded by a snake with rare green diamonds, upon the imprisonment of his father, making him the Lord and head of the Malfoy family, a weight that he still felt on his shoulders that at times threatened to sink him down.

He walked up the stairs, looking up at the derelict house, knowing that if Molly was there, they would be in for a lot of cleaning in the next upcoming weeks. With Harry now owning the house, it would need many things, which would likely take up most of their free time now. He saw the shimmering magic of the wards accepting him, swirling around everything. The house itself seemed to glow and pulse around him. He closed his eyes, concentrating on the proper, human way of how things should look like, a trick of the mind that his godfather Severus had taught him. He reached into his suit pockets, pulling out a vial of his potion. He drank it down as he reached the doors, licking his lips at the sweet taste of blood that lingered in his mouth.

He opened the door, and was immediately assaulted with smells. He recognized most, but the one that stood out he could not pinpoint. It was as if all his favorite things on earth were concentrated in one place and he felt his fangs lengthening. He closed his eyes, desperately trying to calm the instinct, knowing that his friends were near and not wanting them to see him as a monster.

He slowly walked through the first floor, following the sounds that came from across the house. When he reached the drawing room, he saw his friends and was thankful that the bloodlust didn't come. There they were, his new family. When he stepped into the room, all eyes were on him. Harry was the first one to rise, walking over to him and slapping him hard on the back. "Don't think that just because you're a bloodsucker now that you get any special treatment." He said with a smile. With that, Ron and Ginny came over to him, greeting him in the comfortable manner that they had all developed, the tension disappearing immediately from the room.

Hermione just stared at the newcomer. She had felt her heart race and face flush a few seconds before Harry had said that the wards had let Draco in. She could hear the blood rushing in her ear and she felt as if she needed to run and stay in place, all at the same time. The book that was in her hands was a blur, the room began to spin. When she looked up to call out for help, she saw Draco come into the room. All at once, the feelings intensified, with the only thing not spinning was Draco.

When he looked up at her, she felt all the air leave her, the room tilted and she was about to faint when he began to walk over to her. After Draco pulled away from Pansy, his eyes were drawn to Hermione. There she was, the girl that had stolen his thoughts away so many times during the short summer, simply reading one of her books, like always. When he breathed in, he could tell that it was from her that the smell that almost drugged him before was coming from her. With a bated breath, he closed the distance between them, holding out his hand. He tried to keep control, not to let the senses overwhelm him. The riot of colors, smells and feelings that were coming from the girl were astonishing. She slowly lifted her small hand to his, expecting the kiss on it that had become a joke for them, with "Madame" added to it. When Draco saw the look in her eyes, the same look and questions that must have been in his. The shock that they both received from the first contact of skin was unexpected, they both quickly pulled back, neither knowing how to react. Draco looked into her eyes, trying to see what she thought, when the door burst open and a short, round ball of red and blue pounced on him. At the feeling of arms around him, he recognized Molly Weasley, hugging her back, but never taking his eyes off the girl that was still sitting.

Never had he felt the need so badly to possess something to completely as before. That one touch had gotten him captivated, and he knew that he would not rest until he owned Miss Hermione Granger. Of that, he'd be willing to bet the Malfoy name and his very own life.

AN: Ok people, things are going to start picking up here, longer chapters and the start of in depth relationships are coming up. Reviews and questions, please. A million, billion thanks to all who review. Toodles!!


	6. Chapter 6

Hermione felt as if she were suffocating. The air was pressed all around her, the room was still spinning madly. Molly was gushing over her, hugging and pulling back and then embracing her again. Hermione tried to pull her gaze away from Draco, but couldn't. The other boy was holding her gaze with his and she felt as if her heart would break if the eye contact would break.

"Why isn't the bloody potion working?" Draco desperately asked himself. This was the biggest craving he had ever had. The desire to just have her in every way was overwhelming. When he was about to step up closer to her, he was interrupted.

"Ah, Mr. Malfoy! I see you have arrived in one piece, how good. I would like a quick word with you, if you don't mind." Dumbledore said when he reentered the room. He had felt the energy coming out of the room and was surprised when he saw the Draco was standing close to Hermione; he had expected that the burst had come when Draco and Harry were greeting each other, alas, things just were becoming more complicated by the second.

"Yes, Headmaster?" Draco asked, walking up to the old wizard, but not before he looked back and saw that she was still looking towards his retreating body. As the door closed, he smiled a bit, as his eyes recaptured her gaze again, he saw a feverish, lustful, and confused glaze over her eyes and the look only ended when the large oak doors closed.

Draco wanted nothing more then to go back into the room and take her, nothing seemed as important as that. He heard the headmaster clear his throat and turned around, following him down the hallway. Harry really needs redecorate, this is too depressing. Even with the increase eyesight, he saw no more than 4 colors: green, black, brown and gray. No layers, no shades, just those colors.

He went into another sitting room and sat down on the moth eaten green chair across from the headmaster. "You wanted to speak to me sir?"

"Yes, yes, my dear boy. I see that you are on the potion, yes?" Dumbledore said, smiling at the younger wizards nod. "Jolly good. Wouldn't due to have you running mad when training starts and someone bleeds."

"I understand, sir. Professor Snape has provided me with enough to last me the year. And feeding wouldn't be any trouble if I need to go out, either. But I do have a question, sir." Draco said, again looking towards the door.

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy?"

"Well, I wanted to know if blood is really that different between muggleborns and purebloods. I mean, I've only been around purebloods and Harry since I turned; and frankly sir, Hermione's affecting me strangely. I don't know why else except that she has different blood."

"Truthfully, I do not know the answer, but I may ask yourself. I have employed for the summer another Daywalker. I didn;t think you would want you mother here teaching you such embarrassment. So, I want you two to get acquainted, before training starts. Katharina, come in please." The headmaster called out, rising up as the woman came in.

Out of the side door came a woman that almost matched Hermione in beauty. The woman in question was wearing a trailing kimono style peach and sage gown, made of some silky, flowing material that seemed to billow with each movement, outlining her gorgeous figure. Her light brown hair was naturally highlight, seeming to play with the light that was shining in through the grimy window.

Her face was exquisite also. He was reminded of the classical Greek statues when he gazed at her face, the coloring similar to his mothers. The eyes were like brilliant sapphires, dazzling in there intensity as her sight set on Draco. Yes, a perfect face, but still not up to par with Hermione, Draco thought absently.

This woman had her beauty out in the open. What you see at first glance was the beauty. With Hermione, you can stare at her for hours and discover something new every second. This woman had to be as tall as himself, while Hermione was petite, barely reaching his chin, as if she had decided to stop growing at the age of 15.

"Hello, Draco. My name is Katharina." She said with a slight Russian accent. "Your headmaster here has told me of your coming of age, but most of us have been waiting for it for quite some time." She said, coming nearer.

Draco and Dumbledore rose from their seats, waiting for the woman to come closer. She walked up to Draco and put a graceful hand on his cheek. "Such youth! No wonder you were destined for this. We have all waited for so long, the daywalker that would be finally able to place us right with this world. Such strength!" She exclaimed. She smiled, showing that she did not hide her fangs as he did.

"Well, I'll leave you both to talk. If you need anything, I'll be down the hall with the others." Dumbledore said, walking around the oak coffee and kissing the woman's hand.

Katharina smiled waiting until the old wizard left and closed the door. "Well now, I think we really should get to know each other better, since we will be somewhat intimate. I think first we should concentrate one weaning you off that potion of yours. After you find your other half, you won't need it anymore. In the meantime, you can drink from me, or one of your friends if you both feel comfortable."

Hermione slowly recovered. When Draco had left the room, things slowly returned to normal. She didn't know how long she had stayed looking at the closed door, when she finally came to when Ginny waved a hand in front of her eyes a few times.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" She asked, mentally shaking her head a few times to clear her mind.

"I know 'Mione, and if Harry and I weren't together, I'd be all over him. Very nice bum, if I do say so myself." Ginny said, leaning in closer with a mischievous grin.

Hermione smiled weakly, trying desperately to avoid all thoughts of the newcomer. "Um, I'll be back, everyone, I want to send a note to mum and dad to let them know I got in ok and remind them of the party,"

"Hedwig is in the attic, 'Mione. You could use her." Harry said, looking up from his conversation with Ron and Pansy.

"Thanks, Harry." Hermione called out as she walked away from them.

She checked the hallway, making sure that there was no sign of Headmaster Dumbledore or Draco. She walked up the three floors, slowly trying to process what was going on. "It's probably because I was so worried about him going home." She told herself. "Yes, that must be it." She thought to herself. She was smart-no, more than smart; she was bloody brilliant. She could not let a moments distraction steer her from course. No, too many depended on her: Harry, Ron, her parents, the Order. No, she wouldn't let that happen.

As she reached the attic, she smiled as Pig, Ron's owl, whizzed out of the room as soon as the door opened. Before she began to look for Hedwig, she saw her parents barn owl, Luxor, flying in closer.

She waited by the window, stealing herself for what was sure to be a letter from her mother. She let the small owl in, patting his head and untying the parcel it carried. She sat down hard on the sill, recognizing her mothers writing.

She slowly opened the wrapping. Inside was a letter and the book that she was given at the beginning of the summer. Her heart paced a little, knowing that her mother tended to be volatile in her letters.

My Dear,

It seems like you fathers little outing with you has made you forget this gift, which I thought long and hard about. From the bookmark, I see you were beginning the last chapter. I do not want to chastise you for spending time with your father, my dearest, but something like this is what I am afraid of. A little fun in the middle of a project caused you to fall back. You are not a little girl anymore, Hermione. You are getting older, you are no great beauty either and you have told me that because of your birth, are looked down upon by many in the wizarding world.

When you began that whole business with Viktor Krum, I was horrified. I knew that if you stayed with that boy, your future would be lost. My daughter, as your mother, I want nothing but the best for you. I know firsthand what its like for a brilliant mind to be wasted in a man created world. My Hermione, stay true to the course that has been laid out for you. Your father does not know how hard we women have it.

Stay safe, dearest. Study when others are entertaining themselves. Shine like a star, at this age, loves will pass and leave you. I do not want you to have a broken heart and then you having to waste time mending it. Boys at your age tell you how beautiful you are and spout every compliment at you in order to get you into their bed. And dearest, that is the only thing they want.

No, you will control your emotions until the day you are at the pinnacle of success. Remember, Hermione, you must follow my advice. It's the only way to succeed in the world.

Love,

Mother

P.S. Your father sends his regards.

Hermione wiped away a stray tear. As always, her mother knew how to crush her spirit with a few words.

"Hey you." Pansy said softly, coming into the room and sitting down close to Hermione on the window sill. "I simply had to run away. The boys are talking of construction spells and of starting to fix things up here. I expect there to be plenty of injuries coming up." She said with a smile.

Hermione just sat there, staring into space. Pansy was someone she would have never thought of as a potential friend, but now, Ginny, Pansy and she had formed a little triangle, much like the boys had formed, with Draco slowly taking Hermione's place. But she didn't really mind because now she actually had girl friends. Girls that she felt comfortable with and received the love and affection that she didn't have from her mother.

Pansy was lot smarter then she appeared. With the chesty, blonde and heavily made up face, one didn't expect much of a brain there. But Ginny and Hermione knew here. The blonde can solve any puzzle and riddle, much like her crush Ron. The two girls were there with Pansy when she told her family of her true allegiance, when Pansy received a letter from her mother, telling Pansy that she was now disowned.

"You know, I saw how you and Draco were looking at each other before Dumbledore came for him. Care to tell me what all that was about?"

"To tell you the truth, I haven't a clue." Hermione said, looking at her friends face. "He was probably just testing out his new powers or something over me. It's no big deal." It cant be a big deal. She mentally told herself.

Draco paced around the room, stopping here and there to pick up a nick knack or a book.

"I actually came because, if developed and used correctly, your new powers will lead to the prophesy being complete, your Harry's as well as your own for our world. With your power and connections, Draco, you will be our voice, our liberator." Katharina said with passion.

"And why should I be? What reason could I have for helping any of your people."

"I know you, Draco. Its part of my gift. Because you have a heart. Because you so desperately want to be the opposite of your father." Katharina said with a sly smile.

"I would have to think about it."

"What if I can show you how to get someone. Say, the lovely Miss Granger, perhaps? Would that speed up your answer?"

"Excuse me?" He questioned, slowly walking up to her.

"I told you, Draco. That's my gift. I read thoughts, feelings. You don't know it, but if you read that book that your mother gave you, you'll learn how to find your gifts. Oh, and I suggest you read over the chapter on soul mates."

"Just come out with it. You know what I need to learn, so just tell me." Draco said, losing his patience.

"Why should I?"Katharina asked, with a smile. "Now, lets discuss this a little later, just think about it. Right now, we should be trying to get you off that potion. there're are three young women in the house. What happens when they get their monthly curses? What would happen if one of those two boys cut themselves while you were there training with them.

"No, you need to be trained up. To learn to use your gifts tonight, we will begin your studies. For now, you should go be with friends. I've seen the schedule for the trainings that Albus has drawn up, I have to say that I almost pity you boys."

"All right. I suppose I'll see you later, Katharina." Draco said, going to take her hand for a kiss.

"No Draco. I am your teacher. A proper greeting and dismissal would be a kiss, with a drop of blood."

"A kiss? You cannot be serious."

"Yes, Draco. A kiss. Draw a fang and pierce your tongue." Draco stared at her for a few seconds, thinking it over.

He slowly approached her. When he stood right up to her, he saw the slight swirl of about four different shades of blue.

She smiled, closing in the gap between them and placing a hand behind his head. Draco looked into her eyes as he bit into his lips; he joined their mouths, felling her blood seeping into him, slowly falling into a slow and steady rhythm.

After a few seconds, Draco was about to pull away when he felt a sudden pull on his mind. He quickly pulled back, whipping his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Congratulation, Lord Malfoy. I have just taught you the Russian language. Read your book, young one. That will eliminate many wasted questions." She said in her native tongue.

Draco stumbled back, landing hard on a sofa. His head was swimming. Knowing that he should not understand the language that was being spoken.

"Yes, I know. The first knowledge transfer is slightly difficult. It will get better. Read you book. We'll feed tonight and more shall be explained." She said in English, walking towards the door. "Draco, your gift is like I have never seen before. I see great things for you, Draco, if only you stay true to your heart." With that, she walked out, leaving Draco with even more question.

"I have an idea! How about we go through your wardrobe and dress you in something smashing for dinner. Maybe have Ginny do your hair." Pansy said, standing up from her seat.

"What for?" Hermione asked, Pansy's excited energy slowly seeping into her.

"Why? For the only reason that we want to look out very best. Come on, lets go look at what we have to work with. I'll loan you and Gin some jewels and we'll knock the boys right off there feet!"

"And pray tell who exactly am I trying to impress?"

"Draco maybe? Or better yet, a certain guest-a very handsome, young and available Mr. Krum. I just received word from Molly that Arthur is bringing him for tonight's Order meeting."

If Hermione had time to think things slowly, she would have noticed that her heart skipped a few beats at the mention of Draco's name and only a slight, happy flutter at Viktor's name, like when someone mentioned Harry or Ron.

But Pansy had taken her hand and she suddenly found herself in the room that all three girls were currently shared. Pansy dove into her trunk.

After a few minutes of digging, she came up with a pair of tight, low rise navy blue jeans with some snake embroidery and a green silk empire waisted shirt with cap sleeves. Pansy then went to the mahogany chest and opened the drawer belonging to Hermione. She pulled out a new pair of hunter green lacey thong and bra set. "Perfect! Dear, Gin and I brought you these pretty things for you to use them. Go change and I'll think of some makeup spells."

Hermione blushed and went behind the gray screen to change.

"Ron, come with me and help me set the table." Mrs. Weasley ordered her son.

"Behave, you two." Ron said, shooting a warning look at the couple on the couch.

As soon as the door closed, Harry wrapped his hands around Ginny's waist, hoisting her up to straddle his lap. After a few minutes of playful kisses and gentle caresses, Ginny laid her head on Harry's shoulder.

He pulled her closer, relishing in the warmth and affection that poured from her whole body. "I love you so much, Gin." Harry whispered, never getting tired of saying the words.

"I love you too, Harry. More and more everyday." She whispered back.

"Dumbledore wants to talk to Ron, Draco and me before dinner tonight." He stated after a few minutes.

"Can I come along?" She asked, raising her head.

"No."

"Harry, love, I'm not a child. You cannot keep on protecting me when I know I can help you." Ginny looked into his green eyes, making sure he knew how serious she was

"I know, baby. You have proven that you really can defend yourself. But I need you to see it from my point of view, I need to know that if I tell you to do something, you'll do it." He said, just as seriously.

Ginny didn't reply, just snuggled deeper into him. "Why couldn't things be normal?" She asked herself.

Draco stood there in the shower, both hands braced on the tiled wall in front of him. The hot water washed over him, helping to control the anger and confusion. First, he had the weight of carrying the Malfoy mane. He had a major role in the upcoming war, standing right by Harry's side. And now the whole vampire thing.

"I'm only 18 years old. How much more do they think I can handle until I crack?"He asked himself. It just wasn't fair. He would give anything for all of their lives to be normal, but no. that was not meant to be their lot in life. He stepped out of the shower stall, wrapping a green towel around his waist, stealing himself for dinner.

Hermione would be there and needed to be in control. Malfoy's didn't lose composure, especially the Lord of the family. If he really did have feelings for the girl, he would approach her and announce his intentions in the proper form.

As he was in the middle of getting dressed, Ron barged into the room, a silly grin on his face. "Hey mate. I just had a great idea! How about we all sneak out to a muggle nightclub after your party?"

"I don't know. I mean, I'd have to feed really well before we go, but I suppose so; it sounds like a fine idea." Draco replied, reaching for a shirt.

"Great! I'll start planning, Harry's with Professor Dumbledore, so I'll tell him later. Oh, and dinner's in about 15 minutes." He called out, leaving the room as quickly as he came in.

"Ah, here you are Harry! How good of you to come, my dear boy!" The old headmaster said, motioning Harry in to sit in front of him in a matching chaise. "So, how are things with young Miss Weasley?"

"Um, things are well." Harry answered with a blush.

"Brilliant! I hope you know that I am truly happy for you. Miss Weasley is a finey young woman."

"I know. She reminds me of the fact constantly." Harry said with a smile.

Dumbledore smiled, glad to see the young man happy. "You know, Harry, I have tried to make you happy like this since I've first heard that your dear mother was expecting. I tried to keep you innocent, a child for as long as possible but it failed me horribly. One day, I"ll ask for you forgiveness. But for now, just know that you children are like my own, and I will struggle with everything in me to have you all be well after the war." The old wizard said slowly, with his fingers steeped together.

"Professor, I don't blame you, for anything. I may have been angry or upset, but that's the past. I have a future to think about now." Harry said, hoping that his mentor felt the sincerity of his words.

"Interesting choice of words Harry, for the very future is why I want to talk to you boys about."

"I have a request, sir, before you talk to the others. We have discussed this and we are all in agreement. We have decided that none of the girls are to be in the actual battles. We want them safe at Hogwarts, away from danger at all times. And that is not up for reconsideration." Harry said with a tone that left no room to be misinterpreted.

"And have you told them this yet?" Dumbledore asked, liking the way Harry didn't back down."Yes, my boy has developed a nice and study backbone, not a childish attitude, but a manly backbone,' he said to himself.

"No, we decided to tell them after the party."

"Very well, my boy. Next Monday will begin your training. For now, if you could please find Mr. Weasley and send him in." "

⌠Yes, sir." Harry said, raising and walking to the door. "Oh, and headmaster. I just want to say that I do consider you like a grandfather. I'm sorry if I have led you to believe differently in the past years, but I really do mean it." With that, Harry left, softly closing the door.

A smile spread over the wrinkled face, his blue eyes twinkling madly. Yes, everything will be fine.

AN: Hate it or love it? Please review and a million trillion thanks again for those who have. I have to stop now because theres a cookie dough ice cream thats yelling my name! 10 reviews new chapter!! Luv, Jena


	7. Chapter 7

AN: I want to thank all the reviewers. Y'all rock. Start expecting longer updates for every 10 reviews for a while. Apparently, I'm not to move a muscle, according to my hubby. (This is coming from the man that tackled me into a muddy puddle last month during a football game. Gotta love the crazy man!) the story is going to progress faster now and if anyone is confused or don't like something, tell me in a review and I will answer/fix it. Again, thanks a million trillion.

Hermione looked at herself in the vanity mirror. She kept on biting her lips every time Ginny pulled her curls into place, earning a pinch from Pansy, who was currently sitting across from her, almost straddling her lap with her wand pointed to her face, a look of deep concentration on her face.

"Ow!!" Hermione yelled, putting her hands on her scalp.

"There, all done. You know, if you do your hair nicely more often, your hair would be easier to spell into control." Ginny said with a smile, admiring the pile of delicate curls that she had created. With a few spells here and there and some green and blue rhinestone pins. The result was a messy bun with curls framing her face gracefully.

"Would you please stay still? I'll likely poke you in the eye if you keep moving so much." Pansy said, trying to sound upset. Ginny hid a laugh behind her hand, happy to see Hermione letting them fix her up. She loved her dearly, like a sister, but sometimes the older girl was so serious. Oh well, Pansy and she had an agreement that they made the night before Hermione came to join them. They were to make Hermione more fun. The first step was a new wardrobe and a new look, courtesy of Pansy and Ginny, of course.

"There, perfect! I know you could get away with only some eye and lips spells! I'll teach you to do them some enough, since you don't need much, it wont take you much time to do once you get to school." Pansy explained, grabbing Hermione's chin, turning her face right and left ot examine her finished product.

"Lovely. Good ahead had and have a look in the mirror there."

Hermione stood, going to the closet mirror to see. She frowned, trying to tug the jeans higher, earning herself a small shock from Ginny's wand. She threw the younger girl a dirty look, and turned back to her reflection, frowning. She still didn't like what she saw.The top was an ok color, but exposed more chest than she felt comfortable with. The makeup that Pansy had done was understated, which she liked since someone would need to stare to notice the honey colored eye shadow and the nude lip gloss. Still, when she turned to her friends, she saw the hard look on her friends faces and knew that she wouldn't be able so convince her to change.

Draco grudgingly made his way downstairs, wanting nothing more then just to lay on his bed and wallow in his misery. But of course it wasn't the proper thing to do, what was expected. No, he would be the nice little Malfoy. He drank down his potion, careful making sure that he drank down the last drop. He couldn't afford to embarrass himself in front of anyone if the same thing happened as before when he came close to Hermione.

Merlin. Ever since this morning, he had had her constantly in his thoughts. Every little thing reminded him of her. His behavior was positively Gryffindor, no offense to any of them, but he liked his Slytherin characteristics. And now he was reduced to wallowing away in this infatuation. Tonight he expected some answers. The book was too long winded; he did not have the patience to read word after word on what he was feeling. The first five pages were just discussing what he was feeling in too much detail. No, he would demand answers from Katharina.

"You know, demand is such a harsh word, Lord Malfoy." Katharina said with a smile as she walked up to him.

"I prefer Draco, if you don't mind." He replied, noticing her for the first time.

For the dinner she had dressed in a silver silk flowing robe, with heavy crystal embroidering and green threading at the cuffs and hems. She had jade combs woven into her golden hair. Small crystals formed a sort of diadem across her forehead (AN: Think Amidala from Star Wars). The whole effect was beguiling and lovely, but not enough to tempt Draco much.

"Oh, fine. Now, would you be a gentlemen and escort me to dinner. I know that you will not be to happy with the Order's guest tonight." She said, linking their arms together as they walked down the gloomy hallway leading to the kitchen.

When they arrived, Draco was surprised to see Viktor Krum their, talking with Arthur and Molly. Draco felt something rise up within him, in the pit of him stomach. Katharina tightened her hold on his arm, knowing that if she didn't hold him back, Draco would instinctively attack the older boy.

"Draco, you must behave with decorum. You are a Lord and Slytherin. Act like it." She whispered, slowing them down so that Draco had a chance to collect himself before people noticed them.

"Oh Draco dear." Molly said with a huge smile, coming to Draco's side and giving him a brief hug.

"Ah, Draco. Look who's here for a visit." Arthur said with a grin, hitting Viktor in the back.

The Bulgarian man came up to Draco with his hand extended. Draco wanted to slit his throat, but Katharina dug her nails into his arm, making sure he kept his cool. Draco walked up to him, smiling to himself at the fact that he was a good six inches taller then the foreigner. He shook Viktor's hand, making sure to squeeze a little harder then necessary.

"It's good to see you again, Draco." Viktor said.

Draco frowned, noticing that his English had improved since the last time they saw each other. "Yes, it's a pleasure, of course." Draco replied dryly.

Hermione slowly walked along with her friends, idly listening to there banter. She kept on trying to tug the jeans up, not succeeding thanks to a charm from Pansy that would make her clothes stay put. They were laughing madly as they entered the kitchen. Hermione's head began swimming as before, but she was expecting it this time. She immediately pushed the feelings away, concentrating on the people around he. She mentally patted herself on the back when he eyes connected with Draco's, smiling to herself when all she felt was a slight tingle down her spine, perfectly controllable and easy to ignore. 'Yes, this is much better.' She said.

"Hermione?" Viktor said with a smile, holding his arms out to her.

"Oh, Viktor! How good it is to see you!" She said sincerely, walking up to him and hugging him, happy to see her old friend after so long. They had planned to visit each other but that had fallen through and they just continued their correspondence.

Suddenly, Draco flew across the room, too fast for anyone to even pull out their wands. He knocked the older boy to the floor, away from Hermione. His eyes were a bloody red, all traces of the blue and silver gone. He was snarling, his extended fangs out and long, black talons grasped tightly around Viktor's neck.

Harry and Ron ran to Draco's side, going to pull him off when they were shot back by an invisible barrier. Everyone started yelling at once, trying to get Draco's attention away from Viktor, who was turning a slight blue from lack of oxygen.

Katharina saw all this, thinking that it might be easier just to let Draco destroy the man and have a clear way to Hermione. There could be one denying the fact that she truly was the chosen one, to elicit that type of reaction could lead only to that conclusion. She grabbed Hermione's arm, almost dragging the girl closer to Draco. She placed both hands on Draco's shoulder, struggling to twist Draco's upper body towards Hermione. The girl in question stood there, petrified to move an inch when she saw Draco's face, a vision of pure hate and darkness that left her blood running cold.

"Look at her, Draco. She is safe and still untouched. They were just greeting each other as friends often do after long absences. Let the boy go before you scare her off." Katharina said into his eyes in Russian to make sure their conversation would remain private for now.

Through a foggy gaze, Draco heard the words as if they were far, but clearly saw the look of fear in Hermione's eyes and he was horrified to know that he was the one that caused it. He slowly let go of Krum, rising to his feet, his teeth and eyes returning to normal.

"We need to talk." Dumbledore said, knowing that they had come close, too close, to someone to have gotten seriously hurt. He needed to deal with this development as soon as possible, before the rest of the Order came.

AN: This chapter is a bit short, so sorry, but I promised. Chapter 8 is already done, I'm just checking it over. Next up, the party, Narcissa and Jane Granger come to visit and we find out what's in store for our main characters. Oh, and the boys tell the girls that they cant kick death eater ass, can we say conflict? Until next time dears! Toodles!!


	8. Chapter 8

AN: Thanks a mill for all the reviews. Next chapter as soon as I get 10 more reviews! Toodels!

Draco ran into the next room. He slid to the floor, still trying to catch his breath, his world spinning. He felt the rage coursing through his blood still as he imagined Hermione, HIS Hermione, in the next room. With _him_. He started to get back up again when he saw Katharina and Dumbledore walk into the room, both looking too serious to his liking. 'Well, I guess his ass kicking will have to wait until later.' He thought to himself.

"What the devil did you think you were doing?! Did I not tell you to read that damn book? You could have risk everything! That man could press charges against you!" Katharina ranted. She paced in front of Draco, not paying attention to the obvious pain that he was in.

"My dear, I think we all should calm down. We can discuss this rationally as adults." Dumbledore said, sitting down on the chair nearest to Draco. He could see the emotions clearly on the boys face and felt his pain. "Draco, why don't you come up here and sit down properly. I don't think that that floor is too comfortable. We can talk about this properly and then go to the kitchen and explain what's going on."

Draco slowly got up, still struggling to control his breathing. He sat heavily on the sofa, his elbows braced on his jeans and hands holding his head up. 'This cannot be happening right now!' he kept on repeating to himself as Katharina slowed her rant.

"Now Draco my boy, would you care to explain what exactly happened in there?" The old wizard asked calmly.

"What happened? What happened! I'll tell you what happened, Albus! It seems as if that girl is his intended and this jerk is messing up EVERYTHING! I told him that he needed to read that damn book and he totally ignored me!"

"That is ENOUGH Katharina!" Dumbledore said strongly. "I shall only repeat myself once and that is that we will respect others here, no matter what the discussion is."

"Forgive me, Professor. But we all know that this boy isn't ordinary. Draco is meant to be so much to us all and for him to let something as silly and stupid as a hug get out, what will the papers say?"

"I think Mr. Krum there wouldn't go to the media, he's just probably just wondering what was going on at such a sudden attack."

"He touched what was mine, Headmaster." Draco said with a soft but eerie voice.

"I want to warn you all that if it happens again, I'll make sure that I won't be stopped until he's dead. And I'll be very well within my rights since it's regarding the fate of my soul mate."

"Now, Draco. You cannot go around saying such things. And how can you be so sure as to the truth of your conclusion? What proof do you have that Ms. Granger is yours for the taking? What if this is just some passing infatuation?" Dumbledore asked, knowing the answer but just needing to see the truth clearly.

Draco himself had to be the one to realize and take his fate. "Headmaster, I have the utmost respect for you but if question my feeling for Hermione again, I will spill your blood. I want it known to all that Hermione belongs to me." Draco said, standing and walking over to the window.

"No. I will not allow you to claim her until you can prove yourself capable to handle all that has come to you as part of your gifts." Katharina said, the tone of her voice leaving no room for argument.

"And how do you intend to stop me? As you said so yourself, I have enough power to override you and anyone else that would stop me. I'll just have to convince Hermione that we belong together and she'll have no choice but to come with me. I don't need any of you." Draco replied with just as much conviction.

"I'd like to see you try." She said, with a mean glint in her eyes.

"Katharina, I think I could handle the rest of this. Why don't you go check on young Mr. Krum." Dumbledore said before Draco could insult the woman. Merlin, he hadn't seen such a deadly tongue as Mr. Malfoy's. Pity on the one that crossed words with him when he really got started.

"I can not believe that bastard!" Hermione said under her breath as she held a cold towel around Viktor's neck. The room was still in a shock induced silence, all watching Hermione and Mr. Weasley pull Krum to a nearby dinning chair, Hermione nervously trying to check if her friend was more seriously hurt. The makes on his neck were a black and blue set of handprints, clearly showing that if another few seconds with Draco would have resulted in death.

Hermione had never been so scared in her life as when she saw that look in Draco's eyes. Hermione thought that she knew her friend well and didn't want to admit that Draco had failed her somehow. 'He's a Slytherin, Hermione. How much can he truly change? Pansy is an exception, of course.' She said to herself.

Molly came up to them with her wand, murmuring a few healing charms at Krum. "There. It doesn't look too pretty, but it feels better, don't it dear?" Molly said gently.

"Miss Granger? Come with me. I wish to have a few words with you, privately." Katharina said as she reentered the room. Hermione narrowed her eyes at the woman. She didn't know why exactly, but she felt uncomfortable around her. She squeezed Viktor's left shoulder as she stood and walked to the door.

They walked around the hallway in silence for a few minutes, both waging a battle of wills to see who was the stronger. Katharina smiled to herself. 'So that's why he loves her so. This will be very fun to see unfold indeed.'

"I know that you fear Lord Malfoy, Miss Granger. I personally do not think that is such a bad thing, but you should not fear that he will hurt you." She finally said.

"Lord Malfoy?" Hermione said with a sour look.

"Yes, he's a Lord, in this world as well as ours. I just want you to get used to addressing him properly."

"When I get trough with him there wont be anything to address. He's going to apologize to Viktor and then I'll kill him." Hermione said with a dangerous tenor in her voice.

"Miss Granger, I am aware that you may not have enough information to form the proper conclusions yet, but soon enough you'll know. I suggest you start showing the proper respect to Lord Malfoy. He is a most special man, especially in your future."

"Highly unlikely. I'm not one of his whores or even a friend at this moments. And you could go and tell him as such right now, I don't care. And while you're at it, tell him that he broke my trust." Hermione said, with a sadness at the last sentence.

"I do not understand why you are so upset if this Mr. Krum is only your friend. Why does reaction come so negative and so strongly."

"Draco hurt my friend. For no reason whatsoever. If the roles were reversed, I would not be Viktor's friend either. Now, excuse me, I want to go to bed." Hermione said, walking up the stairs to her bedroom.

"Draco, now would you care to explain what happened to you? I want you to speak your mind, my boy. Just know that I will not judge you and what we speak of shall remain between us."

"I love her, sir. I don't know since when, exactly. I just know that it began before I turned. I have the strangest feelings for her though, I don't know what came over me. I didn't mean to hurt Krum, I just don't want anyone to touch her." Draco said slowly, thinking the words out before he actually spoke them.

"Draco, I have been corresponding with your mother for the past few months, trying to make this change as easy as possible for you. We actually both thought that Miss Granger would be a very strong candidate for a mate. I mean, with all the passionate fights that you both have had over the years, it's really the most sensible choice." Dumbledore said, earning a smile from the young man.Draco did smile at that.

That was almost what his Mother always said, 'there's a fine line between love and hate.' As he thought about it with a clear head, he truly didn't know when his feelings for the girl had grown. From the slight obsession during their 'warring years' as he liked to call them, he had constantly dedicated many hours of the day to her. As the only other person in school to match or surpass grades, he felt that he was within his rights to know all about her-know thy enemy-and all that.

When Harry and Ron had finally accepted him, she was the last one to come around and start acting friendly towards him. When they had finally become comfortable with each other, Draco always felt as if in heaven. Every smile that she sent his way made his heart and stomach go around the bend. When he had turned, his feelings were still the same, only magnified by his senses. Instead of thinking about her, now he could feel and smell her. He could see all her feelings in her gorgeous eyes. He didn't know how to set things right, but he knew that now he had to talk to her, to make her sure that things would be better between them.

"I do hope you know what you are getting into, my boy. Hermione is a unique young woman. Incredibly strong and brilliant, but at the same time weak and naïve of the ways of the world. In her eyes I see a hidden anguish. I don't know who or what put it there, but I know that letting you into her heart, into her woman's heart, is going to be a uphill battle that no one will be able to help you with it."

"I love her, sir. I know I can win her heart with that knowledge. I can make he see the reason and the rest of it will fall into place."

"I do not think it will be that easy, my dear boy. Hermione isn't like the other girls in your life. As I said, she is unique-a contradiction that is not to be solved by just talking and looking at her."

"I have to go. I need to apologize." Draco said, standing up and walking to the door.

"Should I tell the others to reschedule the party for tomorrow? We can hold it closer to the school year or whenever you're ready."

"No, that will not be needed. If you'll excuse me, I want to go talk to Hermione now." Draco said softly. No he couldn't cancel the party. He could tell how excited Harry was over it and he'd die from guilt if the plans were changed because of his temper.

"Very well, Draco. Just please remember what we discussed. I'd hate for anything to damage all the progress that has been made in all of these relationships." Dumbledore said with a small warning hidden behind it.

"Yes, sir. Goodnight." Draco said, walking out. He stood out in the hallway for a few seconds, smelling the air and catching Hermione's unique scent. He followed it, thinking what he needed to say over and over. When he reached the girls' bedroom, he closed his eyes and breathed in, surrounding himself with her sublime essence. It acted like an elixir, soothing his soul and filling him with warmth.

He knocked softly on the door, hearing her permission to come in. he stepped into the dimly lit room, spotting her sitting at the vanity table. His throat tightened at the sight of her, so innocent and beautiful that he couldn't even process the amount of love that he felt for her.

She caught his reflection in the mirror, anger boiling her when she thought to those terrifying few seconds that he had almost killed her friend. She dropped the comb that she had been using and looked at him through the mirror.

Draco drew in a deep breath and closed the door behind him. "Um, I wanted to apologize, Hermione. You know, for my actions this evening."

"I'm not the one you nearly murdered. I think that's who you should be apologizing to." She replied coldly.

"I know, and I will speak to him. But I have to know that we'll be ok Hermione. I don't really care about anyone else if you tell me that our friendship is still intact."

"Why? I know things are different because of your new condition, but I don't understand what drove up to do such a thing?" Hermione asked, finally turning and facing him. The slight dizziness and tingles in her spine were there, but she drove it from her mind.

"Look, I know I overreacted, that I made a huge mistake, but I am sorry. I don't know exactly why I reacted so strongly, but I did and I want to apologize. I need for us to be ok." he said walking closer to her. He knelt down in front of her, sitting back on his legs.

"Draco, I don't know what to say. I mean, I've never seen that look in your eyes before. I have never been more frightened of someone in my life." She said quietly, looking directly into his gray eyes.

"Hermione, I'm so sorry. Tell me what to do to make this up to you and I'll do it." He said, beginning to panic slightly.

Hermione sighed and looked at him. Over the course of their friendship, he had demonstrated tenderness and an extremely poetic sensibilities when they had spent time along. "Oh course I forgive you, you big stupid git. I just want you to apologize to Viktor. And if this ever happens again, I'll kill you." She said, bending over and giving him a kiss on the forehead." What am I getting myself into? She asked herself.


	9. Chapter 9

Harry woke up the next morning with a huge grin. His birthday was today. And not just any birthday, this year he was gong to have a huge party-with friends and presents and music and everything. He sat up on the bed, bouncing up and down a few times on the mattress.

He frowned slightly when he saw that Draco, his fellow celebrator, and Ron were still sound asleep. No, that wont do today. He grabbed his wand, thinking of the best way to wake them up.

With an evil grin, he conjured up two buckets on ice water and levitated them over both boys heads. With a silly giggle, he slashed his wand and both buckets turned, dousing the boys with the frigid water.

The results were immediate- Draco yelled, bolting upright in his bed. Ron quickly rolled over, falling off the bed and landing on his bum. Harry let out a side-splitting laugh, managing to fall over the side of his bed and clutching his sides.

After a few seconds, Ron and Draco realized what had happened they both stood and stared at Harry. After Harry had managed to calm down and catch his breath. He wiped the tears from his face and looked at his wet friends.

"Harry, I'm only saying this out of my brotherly love, but I'm warning you. You'd better start running." Ron said, with a deadly calm.

Harry stopped laughing and looked from Ron to Draco, looking at the murderous gazes of his friends. He slowly rose, backing out towards the door. Draco let out a small growl and Harry sprang, jetting out the door. Draco and Ron looked at each other for about half a second and began running after him.

The chase went throughout the whole third floor of the house, going into rooms and back out, knocking down paintings and wall hangings in their wake. They brought the chase downstairs, when Harry slammed the girls to the girls room open and closing it again. He almost breathed a sigh of relief when he heard Pansy's yell out like a banshee, and he found himself at the bad end of her wand and the blonde girl holding her shirt tightly to her chest. He blushed, running out the room, panicking when he saw Ron and Draco rounding the corner. He bolted down the stairs, sitting on the railing and sliding the way down, jumping right before he hit the ornate railing end. He ran to the kitchen, where he knew Molly must be making breakfast.

"Oh Harry, love! Happy Birth-Merlin! What's going on?" She exclaimed when he ran behind her, using her like a shield. She received her answer when the other to boys ran in, both still in there pajama bottoms and drenched.

"Mum, look at them! They're trying to kill me on my birthday! Stop them!" Harry said, hugging the short round woman closer to him when both boys started to advance on both sides.

"Oh nonsense! What happened?"

"This one decided to wake us up by dumping buckets of water all over us! Look at me-I think I'm even turning blue!" Draco yelled, giving Mrs. Weasley big puppy dog eyes for her benefit.

Molly through both boys a look and felt Harry stifle a little laugh from behind. Well, she knew exactly how to take care of this. She quickly stepped away from Harry and conjured her own bucket of ice water, promptly disposing of it over his head.

Harry just stood there, with his mouth hanging open and looking very much liked a drowned cat. It was now Draco and Ron's turn to laugh hysterically, which was the scene that the girls found when the three walked into the room.

All three of them laughed, looking at all three boys in their half naked states and wet. "I don't even want to know who is responsible for this, but bravo who ever it was." Pansy said, clapping a few times for effect. Ginny and Hermione fell into giggles behind her, leaving the boys behind and walking over to the table where breakfast was laid out already.

"Now, now. Everyone calm down and sit down and tuck in. boys, after you eat I want you to go throughout the whole house and pick up everything that you messed up while on your little run this morning. I don't want the guests to see the house in such a state." Molly said with her." Mom voice.

All at once all three boys made the protests heard. Harry and Draco complaining that they were the birthday boys and Ron complaining over the 'unfairness' of it all. Molly just took it all in stride, ignoring the ranting and sitting down to eat her own breakfast. She had a very busy day without having her naughty boys reeking havoc all over the scene of the party.

Molly hummed to herself was she frosted the huge two-tiered birthday cake. The gold and silver frosting was easy enough, but the snitch candied pieces were a bit hard to conjure, but it turned out perfect. The kitchen was smell divinely, thanks to all the precooking that she had done the previous night.

She wiped her hands on the purple apron that Ron had given her last year as a gift, with one last glance at the large pile of presents that had kept on arriving throughout the day. That was another thing that kept her occupied throughout the day was keeping the two boys out of the kitchen and away from the gifts. "I swear it's like dealing with first years." Molly said with a smile.

The smile fell from her face when she saw Arthur coming up the path with Hermione's mother in tow. There was something about that woman that Molly couldn't place, but she just felt so frigid around her. Every summer, Hermione always came back to school, fine on the outside, but with a certain sadness to her that she could not place, but it was as if a tiny piece of her soul died whenever she went home.  
She heard footsteps running down the stairs and knew that it was Hermione. She looked out of the kitchen door as the young girl nervously looked at her reflection in the hallway mirror, wiping a bit of the lip gloss. She straightened her clothes a bit more and waited by the door.

"Oh, look at you sweetie! You look so different!" Jane Granger exclaimed, going to hug her daughter.

Molly noticed how tense Hermione seemed to hold herself tensely when her mother approached her for a hug. Hermione just stood there for a few seconds, her mothers arms around her. When the older woman whispered something into her daughters ear, the young woman rose her arms to return the gesture.

Molly walked out into the hall, smoothing the sides of her hair down. She forced a smile on her face, trying to be pleasant to their guest. "Mrs. Granger, welcome to Grimuald Place. I trust your journey was fair." Molly said with a smile.

"It was fine, thank you for asking." Jane replied with the same fake smile. She knew that this woman was a threat to her hold over Hermione. The girl was constantly talking about this Mrs. Weasley was apparently like another mother when the kids were at school and summer holidays.

"Where's Daddy, Mum?" Hermione asked, noticing that her father didn't come behind Mr. Weasley.

"There was a small emergency at the clinic, 'Mione. I'll go fetch him in a couple of hours." Mr. Weasley replied with a smile.

After a few awkward seconds of silence, Harry and Draco tripped down the stairs, Jane screaming when she saw only the heads of the two boys, their bodies hidden under the invisibility cloak. Molly made a disapproving sound in the back of her throat and went to pull both boys up by there ears.

Hermione felt a giggle erupt from her but quickly shut it down when she saw the look her mother shot at her. She cleared her throat and went to take her mother to the room that Molly had prepared for her parents. She gave a sideway smile to her friends as she passed them, showing a bit of sympathy for them as Molly started her fit over 'naughty' young men.

"How have you been studying in this mad house Hermione? I mean, look at all the noise that those two boys alone make!" Jane said as soon as they were out of hearing distance.

"It's fine mother. I've actually finished all the homework that was assigned for the summer and I've started to work on some extra credit projects." Hermione said, hoping to get a compliment on her achievement. The hope was quickly dashed when she saw the look on the older womans face.

"Well, I supposed that you think that that's good enough. I mean, you are planning to attend this little celebration. Have you even prepared for next year? I bet you have not even opened one of your new books."

"Mum, I don't even have the supply list yet. We'll get them sometime over the next two weeks." Hermione replied sadly, her shoulders dropping.

"Well, I guess if that's enough for you, have it your way." Jane said, walking into the room that Hermione had stopped at.

"Hermione!! We need you over here!" Pansy yelled from down the hall from there room.

"Um, I guess I'll leave you to rest. I'll come fetch you later on when we're expected downstairs." Hermione said, walking out of the room. She leaned against the door jam for a few seconds, trying to collect herself and pull up a happy face.

When she walked into the bedroom, Ginny was running around with just her slip and a bra on, going from one corner of the room to the next, bringing all her dresses out on the bed. She had a slight nervous look in her eyes, tripping herself all the clothes.

"Um, I think Ginny in on her way to having a nervous breakdown here." Pansy said, in a similar state of undress. She was leaning over the vanity mirror, using her wand to apply the heavy dark eye shadow that she liked.

Ginny held up two dresses, one with little purple and green flowers in a cute ankle length and the second a solid green, a bit on the short side, but with nice embroidering on the ¾ sleeves. Hermione pointed to the first one so Ginny slipped it on, struggling with the top until Hermione took pity on helped her with it. She zipped up the back, helping her friend fix and tuck the bodice and skirt the proper way.

"So, what are you wearing?" Pansy asked when she finished her makeup.

"I don't know. Maybe some nice jeans and a blouse." Hermione replied, beginning to help Ginny sort out all the clothes that she threw on the bed.

Pansy rolled her eyes, going over to the closet. She started sorting through Hermione's clothes. When she didn't see much, she went over to her side of the wardrobe. After a few minutes, she found the perfect dress. It was actually a gift from Narcissa from a few years ago. She had never worn it because it wasn't her taste.

Pansy pulled it out, smiling when she thought about it. "Here, wear this." she said, coming over to Hermione.

"But I don-"

"You don't anything. Now, either you put the dress on or I'll stun you and put it on for you." Pansy said, remind the two other girls of Mrs. Weasley.

Hermione knew when to listen, of course and took the dress with her behind the screen. When she came out, she was greeted with smiles from the two girls. Pansy began circling her, taking in where she would need to adjust the dress.

"Ok, stay very still. don't move a muscle." She said, pulling out her wand again. She started casting some shrinking spells and other charms that Hermione didn't know. Five minutes later, the dress looked as if it had been tailor made for Hermione's body.

"How did you learn to do that?" Hermione asked with a smile.

"I cant afford new clothes so Molly taught me some new seamstress spells over the summer.

"Hold on," Ginny said. " I think you should wear a tier slip with that dress. Since its tea length, it'll look nicer if it poufs out a bit around the skirt." She pointed her wand at her and smiled at the result.

Hermione walked to the mirror, almost not recognizing herself again. She saw her reflection and didn't know what to think. The ivory tea length dress had thin straps in green. Little vines and pink flower patterns weaved it's way over the fabric, with a matching green sash over the waist, making a bow on the back. With Pansy's alterations, the dress fit to a t. the skirt ended just about 3 inches past her knees. The bodice also was a perfect fit, not showing too much skin.

"I think I got the perfect little necklace for that too." Pansy said after she picked out a gold and amethyst necklace and ring set for Ginny. She rummaged around her jewelry box and found what she was looking for. She led Hermione over to the table and sat her down. She slipped a necklace of silver and small green stones in the shape of vines. She clapped her hand over Hermione's mouth when she saw that the other girl was about to protest. When she was sure Hermione wouldn't argue, she called Ginny over and asked her to tend to her hair, showing the younger girl the ornate silver hair sticks.

After about an hour, Hermione was done. She had her hair in a half-bun, with the two hair sticks holding the hair away from her face, the rest of it cascading down her back. The makeup that Pansy had put on her face was similar to yesterdays, only with a bit more color. She doubted that her mother would like it, but right now she didn't really care.

She actually felt good. She thought she liked none too bad and she felt feminine and cute. The nude stockings and green maryjane high heeled shoes also helped with her self esteem a bit. "Well, I'll deal with her tomorrow." She said to herself as the began gathering the gifts to go downstairs. The guests would begin arriving any minute and she promised herself that she would have fun.

Draco was getting dressed with Harry and Ron, still joking around about this morning. Harry and his ears were still red from all the times the Mum Weasley had pulled on them when they had tried to sneek a peak at a few of the presents, but who could really blamed them, the pile was as tall as them! They had barely had a chance to themselves though because even time she caught them, they had been given more chores to do. Harry had maintained that ridiculous good mood during the whole day, but Ron had finally cracked and began to join his best friend in the giddiness. A few hours later, Draco had joined them too. He had not ever really had a proper party like this. All the ones that he could remember were all extremely formal. No proper music or many guests his own age.

They heard the fireplace come to life and he rolled his eyes when he heard Mrs. Weasley greeting his mother. He loved the woman dearly, but she was becoming really clingy since his birthday night.

"Hello, Mother." Draco greeted when he walked into the room where she had come from. He was immediately hugged and lissed but the slender woman, blushing when she pulled back and he saw tears coming from her eyes, and exclamations of how much he's grown.

"Oh, baby! Look at you! I've missed you so much!" Narcissa said, embracing him again.

"Mother, I've only been gone a week!" Draco said with a smile.

"Well, I'll let you two visit for a few minutes before everyone starts arriving." Molly said as she walked out of the room.

"Tell me how have you been, love." She said with a smile, sitting down on the loveseat and pulling him alongside her.

"Fine, almost. Last night I attack a guest."

"What? Which boy? Mr. Potter or Mr. Weasley?" Narcissa asked, surprised. She knew that Draco had a slight temper, but not enough to attack someone. His preferred method was doing something on the sly, like ruining a career or spreading a damaging rumor.

"Viktor Krum. He touched my mate." Draco said, knowing that at the news that he had found his soul mate so quickly would make her forget about the fight.

"Your mate? Oh Merlin, Draco! My son has claimed his mate!" Mrs. Malfoy exclaimed, launching herself at her son, beginning to sob anew. Murmuring such things as plans for a wedding and grandchildren.

Draco laughed to privately at the woman's behavior. Yes, he did love his mother; otherwise he would have most likely gone mad.

"I have not claimed her mother. It will not be that easy." Draco explained. He got away from his mothers arms and walked over to the window.

"What do you mean. if it's Pansy, I'm sure your friendship can be taken to an intimate level."

"It's not Pansy, Mother. Its Hermione Granger." Draco said, finding that even the mention of her name gave him a thrill.

"Granger? You mean that muggleborn who you used to argue with? My word!" She said, standing up and crossing her arms.

"Yes, mother. The very same annoying know-it-all Granger. I love her and she does not know it yet." He said sadly, reclining on the sill.

"Why? Just go to her and she'll have no choice but to accept who she belongs to."

"Mother, she's not like that. And I refuse to force her into a relationship just because I can." Draco said, beginning to pace around the room.

"Really? Well, we'll just have to fix it, won't we?" Narcissa said with a slightly evil smile. She turned and walked out the room, intending to find this Ms. Granger and set things right.

Draco's eyes widened when she saw his mother leave the room, panicking and leaving the room after her. After all, his mother had been in Slytherin and she had stronger vampire blood then himself. 'This could get bad-very bad.' Draco thought, his eyes searching out the white clad figure of his mother in the hall.

AN: There you are, new chapter, as promised. Love it, hate it? Tell me what y'all think. Thanks and hugs to all who reviewed!! Next chapter is done, you know the drill- 10 reviewsnew chapter. Luv y'all, Jenna


	10. Chapter 10

AN: Hey y'all! I wanted to ask if anyone wanted to be my beta. English is my fourth language and last chapter had too many dumb mistakes and I still don't feel perfectly comfortable in this language. If anyone's interested, email me at again, a million thank you to all who review. Any complaints/questions/comments, leave it in a review. Some of them will be answered as the story progresses, but if any of you have any questions, just ask. Thanks again! 10 reviews gets a new chapter, as always!

Narcissa Malfoy always got what she wanted. With her arranged marriage to Lucius at the tender age of 17, she had forced herself to prosper and find a measure of happiness in a bad marriage. One of those sources of happiness was her son. She would kill and be killed for her only son and she would prevent him from suffering, no matter the cost.

She had been ecstatic for those few precious seconds when Draco had said that he had found his mate. When Narcissa had turned, she had discovered who her mate was after two years, only to had the fact mocked by her parents and her husband. 'Oh what a miserable existence!' She thought to herself as she hurried through the halls.

But the same wouldn't happen to her baby. No, if his mate was Ms. Granger, than Ms. Granger he would have. First thing was to meet this girl. After that, they'll talk, the girl would see how wonderful it would be to marry her son, and done! She'd have grandchildren by next year, Gods willing.

She walked quickly down the halls, finally hearing giggling behind a closed door at the end of the hall. She smiled, and straightened out her periwinkle robes. If she knew that she would be meeting her future daughter-in-law today, she would have dressed for the occasion, but oh well.

She entered the room with the grace and elegance that she had, wanting to make the best impression on the girl. What she found gave brought a smile to her face. All three girls were practically laying on top of each other in a bed towards the corner. They were looking through Witch Weekly and laughing at something.

She softly cleared her throat to announce herself. Pansy sat up, a smile coming on her face when she saw the new arrival. "Aunt Narcissa! How good to see you!" Pansy said, standing and going over to the older woman to great here. When they parted, Narcissa raised a delicate eyebrow and turned towards the two girls still on the bed.

"Um, sorry. I'd like you to meet Ms. Hermione Granger and Ms. Ginny Weasley." Pansy said with a smile, motioning for the two to stand. Narcissa smiled, nodding to the girls.

"I believe we have met, a few years ago and under more, lets say 'uncivil', circumstances. You both look lovely."

"Thank you." They both said at once.

Hermione just stared at the older woman. She had thought that Draco got his looks from his father, but now she saw that most of them came from the mother. The same coloring and the a certain manner of inner pride. At the thought of Draco, a flush came over her, with the same tingles up and down her spine.

"I've heard much about all of you. Ms. Granger would you ca-" Narcissa started and abruptly closed her mouth were Draco burst into the room.

Draco braced himself against the doorjamb, breathing hard and still slightly panicked. He looked at his mother and shot her a warning glance before his eyes caught sight of Hermione. His mind went blank for several seconds as their eyes connected and he momentarily forgot why he came into the room when he saw that his mother had a sly grin on her face and had crossed her arms as if ready to declare some imagined victory.

"Um, excuse me ladies. Mother, we haven't finished our discussion yet. Would you care to meet me out in the hallway?" Draco said, giving his mother a look that dared her to make a scene.

"Of course, darling. Ladies, we will have a talk in the very near future. Ms. Granger, I'd like you to join me for tea tomorrow morning. I've decided that I want to spend some time in my old home and with my son. You and I will have a little chat tomorrow." With that, Narcissa nodded to the other two girls and went out the room, giving her son a smile and a wink.

"Ladies, I'll see you three later." Draco said, not looking directly at Hermione in fear that he might lose himself again in her eyes. "If you were not my mother, I'd lock you up, I swear!" Draco whispered harshly, as he took his mothers arm and walked back away from the room.

"Why, Draco! I'm am shocked that you would use that tone of voice to a lady! Especially your mother." Narcissa said, hiding a smile. She knew that her son had a temper, but it was so much fun to get his all riled up.

"You're mad. And you're trying to have me sent to a mental ward with you also. If you think that your visit is a good reason to play matchmaker to us, then I'll send you home."

"Have you fed today? You're awfully testy." She said, patting his right check affectionately and sitting down next to the fireplace of the study that they had walked into.

Draco punched the air a few times and jumped up and down, pounding on the floor to help relive some of the tension and anger. He loved his mother, really he did, but she was worse then Mum Weasley sometimes. He walked into the room after straightening his clothes, watching his mother smile sweetly at him and motioning over to the seat next to her.

Draco reluctantly sat down, having experienced his mothers mood swings before.

"Looking at you now, you make me feel so old." She said with a smile, tugging a few strands of silvery blonde hair behind his ear. After his father had escaped Azkaban, Draco had gone out of his way to change his appearance. He began wearing casual clothing, stopped slicking his hair back so solidly. He showed more emotion, especially to her; before, the last time she could remember her son laughing was when he was about six years old. When Lucius had heard his heir doing something so 'common', he had backhanded the small child and that had put a stop to the innocence. But now he was laid back, a smile ready on his lips and his witty and sarcastic sense of humor was now not used to hurt.

The fate that Ms. Granger was his mate didn't really surprise Narcissa when she thought about it. Every summer since Draco was eleven, he had come home complaining about Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley, but mostly about Hermione. It was always 'Hermione this, Mudblood that' and on and on it went until it was time to return to school. A vampire's mate wasn't just a common thing.

A vampire could live without it's mate, but it was a horrible existence. She herself had had to live with having close contact with her mate throughout all these years and she refused to have her only son suffer like she did. No, her son would have the girl that was destined for him. It just required her to employ some of her more Slytherin characteristics, just not in front of Draco.

"Hey, Draco! Ron is distracting Mum so we could sneak down real quick and look at the presents." Harry said, walking into the room. He stopped short when he saw that Draco had company.

"Harry, this is my mother. Mother, meet Harry." Draco said, standing to introduce the two.

"Um, please to meet you." Harry said, not knowing what to do. When he saw the woman raise her eyebrow, he nervously walked over to them. All three fell into an uncomfortable silence when Harry approached and he suddenly took Narcissa's hand and kissed it. When he pulled back up, Draco and his mother burst out in laughter.

"Very pleased to meet you, Harry." Narcissa said, wiping the tear from her eyes after her laughter had died down. "I know that you must have heard this before, Harry, but you look so much like you father."

"You knew my parents?"

"Yes, they were in my year. Remind me to talk to you before I leave. We were friends for quite some time before, well lets just say certain circumstances, made us sever our relationship."

"I'd really like that, Mrs. Malfoy." Harry said with a smile, immediately getting attached to the lady at the mention of her parents.

A few hours later, the party was in full swing. Many of the 7th, 6th and even some 5th year students from the different houses had slowly arrived, blindfolded and under several confusion and tracking spells, had slowly been lead through several floo and apparition to get to the house. Hermione had managed to figure out a charm last year to make some electronics work around magic. It wasn't perfect on needed to be recast every could of hours, but it provided music to the party, both muggle and wizarding music alike.

Molly had set up the food buffet style so the guests came in and out of the dinning room with plates and drinks whenever they wanted. The cake sat in the middle of the room, waiting to be cut and eaten.

Draco had been discreetly following Hermione ever since he saw her enter the room, not believing it was possible for her to become even more beautiful. When he saw Krum walking over to her, he shot the older boy a dirty look, showing off his fangs for a second, smiling when he saw the boy pale and back down, going over to talk to Arthur and some aurors in the far left corner of the room.

He saw Harry, dancing poorly in a corner with Ginny, with that silly ridiculous cone shaped hat. He had ran after Draco for about 15 minutes, yelling some rubbish about that it was birthday tradition to wear one. Harry had quit when Draco wouldn't budge.

He was talking to Neville and Dean when he saw Hermione walking towards his, hands behind her back and a smile on her perfect face.

"Hello, boys." She said with a smile, seeing Ginny and Pansy looking at her, giving her the thumbs up. "She took a deep breath and put the smile back on her face. "Draco, how are you liking the party so far."

"It's great." He said with a stupid smile, totally wrapped in whatever the girl said.

"Yes, it seems so. I'm a bit disappointed in you, though." She said, stepping a little closer to him.

"Why? I apologized to Krum and I've been on good behavior with all the Gryffindors." Draco said, giving her his best innocent look.

"I know. It's just that you've ignored a tradition that I like and I would just be thrilled if you do it and maybe we'll take a few group pictures." Hermione said, pulling the bright red and silver paper hat. She gave him a cute little smile, reaching up and putting the hat on him.

He made a face but smile when she gave him a quick peck on his cheek. He was still looking on her when he saw a flash out of the corner of his eyes and saw Harry with Colin Creevey's camera.

He was about to go chase his friend, maybe kill him a bit, when he felt Hermione tug his arm and going over to the Patil twins. He followed, going after her like a little puppy dog, not noticing the several sets of eyes looking at both of them.

"You most be Ms. Granger's mother." Narcissa said, walking over to the woman who was sternly watching over Hermione. She saw a angry flush when the two children were talking to each other. Narcissa made a mental not to get Harry to make her a few copies of that picture.

"And you are?" The woman asked rudely.

"I am Lady Narcissa Malfoy, Draco's mother. I must say that our children would get along so well. Just look at them." Narcissa said with a smile, looking over at the two. Mrs. Grangers anger increased when she followed the blond woman's gaze and saw the Hermione had her hand on Draco's arm, smiling and adjusting his hat.

"Oh really. I only think that she's being nice on account of it being his birthday."

"No, I don't think so. My son apparently thinks the world of your daughter and they have spent along time together last year and so far into the summer. She really is such a pleasant young lady." Narcissa said, taking a delicate sip of her wine glass.

Jane was furious, not being able to look away from Hermione, looking like a whore with that boy. She walked nearer to them, trying to get her daughter's attention. Her anger rose when she saw Hermione engrossed in her little group.

"Everyone! Everyone, I'd like to get you lot in a group for some pictures! When that's done, we can cut the cake and start opening up some of the presents!" Molly yelled, getting the attention of al the teenagers in the room.

Harry was having the time of his life. All his friends were around him. He had his girlfriend on his arm and everyone was having a smashing time. He was dancing, talking, eating great food. He didn't believe that this could get better. When Pansy and Ron walked over to them, she had told them of Ron's plot to get Draco to wear a birthday hat, they had all looked towards the two from across the room. Laughing when Hermione had finally managed to get the boy to wear it. Harry grabbed Colin's camera and began snapping random pictures, promises to Ron and Pansy to make copies.

Yep, things could not possibly get any better than this.


	11. Chapter 11

Draco still felt as if he was still on cloud nine. Hermione had danced with him and was constantly around him throughout the party. Dumbledore's present for Harry and himself had been a performance from the Weird Sisters, causing everyone to go frantic and left all the food to go dance. Ok, so Hermione wasn't 'exactly' dancing with him, it was more like she was dancing around him along with the group.

At around half past 11, Arthur had announced that it was time for the guests to start the long and tedious journey home. In groups of ten, auror's began the journey back, begin with the blindfold spells and floo'ed out the room.

After things had settled down, the group of six gathered on the floor in front of the fireplace. The adults surrounded them and settled the pile of presents in the middle. Harry and Draco tore into the pile eagerly, having already a taste of what was in store for them when they opened some of the gifts when their classmates were still there.

They both received sweets, books and other odds and ends from their friends and they all noted what would get used the most. The boys found Mrs. Weasley's presents next, opening it and discovering the trademark Weasley sweaters. Harry's was a nice deep forest green color, with a small line of black around the cuffs and at the neck. Draco received a dark slate colored sweater, with the Slytherin green at the cuffs and neck. He decided that the sweater was perfect because it made the blue of his eyes and immediately put it on.

Pansy gave them both broom servicing refills for their kits and bottles of Armani cologne. Ron gave Harry a miniature version of the WWN, which Harry truly appreciated since he knew that he must have been saving for a while. Draco received a medium cauldron full of Honeyduke's chocolate, Every-flavor beans and some chocolate frogs. Draco tore into the box of the beans, smiling that he now had the ability to tell which flavors he wanted, not knowing how, but he just did.

Hermione gave Harry flat board. He looked at her with a curious expression, looking as she scooted closer to him and tapped the corner with her wand. From the flat surface, a model Quidditch pitch appeared. Hermione took the manual and showed Harry the were he could find how to make the players fly around and all that.

For Draco, he was ready to pull her back next to him and rip Harry's throat apart when he have Hermione a hug and kiss on the cheek. He forced himself to calm down and opened his gift. Inside, strange device. Hermione sat down next to him, taking the device from him.

"It's a camera. It's digital, so you can view the pictures on this little screen here. I'm still working on the charm to develop the pictures, but you can just use it until then. And this is called an MP3 player. It holds music in it. I've put all the wizard songs from the bands that Pansy knew you liked. I'll let you listen to the muggle one's on mine and you can pick more from there." She said, pulling out the small iPod.

"Wow. I love it." He said, smiling at her. He leaned over, giving her a tender hug, clinging to her small frame for a few seconds, pulling back and looking into her eyes.

"Well, lads. I think it's time for you lot to head up to bed. There's much to be done tomorrow and we all want to get an early start." Mrs. Weasley said, standing up and waving her wand to clear out the shredded paper. Harry had made a small collection of the ribbons and small tickets of who gave him what so she indulged him and let him keep his pile.

The six teens filed past the adults, kissing cheeks and hugging people as necessary. When Hermione walked up to Krum, who was invited to spend the night, Draco shot him a fierce look again, making the older boy once again step back from Hermione.

"Remember our tea appointment, Ms. Granger. I do hope that 10:00 is fine with you?" Narcissa said as she rose also.

"Um, yes. That will be fine, Mrs. Malfoy." Hermione replied with a small nervous smile.

The rest of them continued their way upstairs, separating to go into their respective bedrooms. Harry whispered for them to wait up for them to join the girls after the rest of the house to go to bed.

In the boys room, all three of them spelled their casual muggle clothing, listening with extendable ears for signs of the adults. They waited about an hour when it was deemed safe to go out.

They quietly made there way down the halls, coming up to the girls' room. They opened the door, mindful of the creak if opened all the way. They all hopped on Pansy's bed while waiting for Ginny and Hermione to finish getting ready.

"So where are we headed to?" Pansy asked, pushing Draco playfully aside so that she could sit next to Ron.

"I don't know. There's a fair club in London called the Cave. We could go there for a while." Harry said.

"We should all do something special. I mean, it's a huge birthday for the both of you. Its not everyday that one turns of age." Pansy said, beginning to pace with a finger to her chin. "I've got it! I don't know if you all will want to do it, but its perfect!" Pansy said with a smile.

As she said that, both Ginny and Hermione came out of the bath with jeans and halter tops on with the same makeup and hair style as before. They greeted the boys and sat down on Ginny's bed.

"Ok, how about this: we all get matching tattoos. We could get some protection spells and everything later on, but this will be like a seal for our friendships." She said excitedly.

The room was quiet for a few minutes as they all thought it over. It was as if the answer came to them as if all at once. They all grinned at Pansy, nodding and voicing their opinion at once.

"Great. I know where we can go in London that's open. It might take a while, so we might not be able to go to the club, but I really like this idea." She said, proud of herself for coming up with it.

All three pairs crept out of the room to the outside, slowly making there way out the back to make sure no one heard. When all six reached the yard, Harry went to the street to fetch the Knight bus.

After a very turbulent ride, they made it to London after only about 20 minutes. They stepped out, dizzily at first and then they made there way, following Pansy, who was the only one that had ever heard of the tattoo shop.

After walking a few blocks, they came to a stop at a small, but clean shop, with a neon sign with TATTOO in blinking letters. Under that, a charm listed all the different types of moving tattoo's, magical piercing and other services offered only to wizards.

The group went in, immediately being greeted by a man in his early thirties, wearing a leather vest to display arms covered in tattoos. "Ms. Parkinson! How lovely to see you again. And Mr. Malfoy, you're looking well."

"Hello, Peter. We want to see some designs. All of us want matching tattoos, still ones for now." Pansy replied, walking over to the art wall.

All six walked around, nothing seeming right, and no one agreeing satisfactorily enough with the different ideas. Hermione was walking around, looking through the books and posters. Near the ceiling, she saw a small star and came up with the idea.

"I know, how about a Star of David. I mean, it has six points to it, each one would represent us and it has many meanings, not just religious to muggles." After drawing the star with her wand in the air, the other five thought the idea was perfect.

Pansy turned and asked Peter how much it would be and if it could be done without blood being shed in consideration of Draco.

The girls went in behind the curtains first. Pansy sat down on the chair, deciding that she wanted hers about one inch big and on her ankle. "Hey, you want to do something for just us? Maybe a piercing?" She asked suddenly.

Ginny eagerly nodded her head while Hermione looked a bit queasy when she saw Pansy getting the mark infused on her skin, as if with a burn. Peter burned the outline and dipped his pen into the ink pot.

Ginny was next and got hers on her lower left hip, hers being about two inches big. She finished deciding that they were all to get matching navel rings. She picked out a little snitch charm, thinking that Harry would laugh when he saw it.

Hermione was next and she wanted her tattoo on the small of her back, keeping the star two inched like Ginny. The navel ring was actually worse then the tattoo, making her cry out for a second.

The boys came in next, taking there girlfriends with them. Draco and Hermione looked at each other for a few seconds, both blushing. Hermione rolled her eyes at the boy and dragged him to the back room. Harry was the one that was currently on the chair, one hand clutched to Ginny's, the other hand with a death grip on the black armrest.

He decided to get his tattoo over the right side of his upper chest. He slowly breathed out when Peter began to apply some soothing green colored potion.

Ron's tattoo was the biggest, covering his left calf, about nine inches big. He put on a dramatic show when Pansy started fussing over him, claiming how brave he was and other rubbish along those lines.

Draco was up next and Hermione took a seat next to him to offer him the comfort that the other girls had provided for their boyfriends. He laid on his stomach telling Peter that he wanted it between his shoulder blades, at about five inches wide. He grasped Hermione's hand tightly when he felt Peter burn and press the design into his skin, breathing out slowly when he was done.

"Ok, now we all want our ears pierced. There some small gold hoops over there on the counter that we saw." Ron said, going back to the main area of the shop and retrieving the three earrings.

Two hours later, the six walked out of the shop with a bit of pain. The boys now sported their left ears pierced. And where trying to impress the girls. Harry called her the Knight bus again and they all tiredly climbed in.

When they arrived, they snuck back in, quietly and carefully as before. When they reached the girls' room, they all went in and Harry suddenly got a 'brilliant' idea. He enlarged the middle bed, making it about 7 times bigger, crowding the room.

He smiled at the group and jumped into the bed, shoes and all. The others followed suit of course and they all settled down. After goodnights and jokes for a few minutes, finally drifting off into slumber. But right before Draco fall asleep, he noticed that Hermione had cuddled up to him, throwing an arm across his chest and settling down. Draco smiled, placing his hand gently on top of hers and slept peaceful for the first time in months to know that his mate was there with him.

AN: Dont send hate mail over the tattoo please, I have a jewish best friend. Hope you like it-next chapter is tea and more of the evil Jane Granger. And the guys start training. Oh, and maybe a kiss between our star couple, it depends what mood I'm in. Please review and a trillion thanks to those who have.  
Jenna


	12. Chapter 12

Ron was the first person to wake up the next morning, feeling a bit strange at first. After lying there for a few seconds, he finally noticed Pansy asleep next to him, cuddled up on her side, fitting nicely next to his body. He blushed, his face matching his hair and he looked down the bed, frowning when he saw Harry holding tightly to Ginny.

He slowly got out of the bed that began a chain reaction. The teens began to sit up and with blushing faces said their good mornings. After making sure that one was in the hall, the three boys crept back into their room. Breathing out when they saw Mrs. Weasley rounding the corner towards them as they closed the door.

Hermione on the other hand was a nervous wreck. She had about fifteen minutes before she to go to tea with Mrs. Malfoy and she couldn't even imagine what her mother would say to her later on.

Pansy was up and singing some silly song with a 'Ron' here and there, spinning around the room madly. Ginny soon joined her and they began waltzing, with Ginny coming up with her own merry tune about Harry.

Hermione rolled her eyes went to the bathroom. She started the shower and stood in front of the mirror, debating on whether to use a quick makeup spell or not. After dabbing some of the green potion on her navel, she stepped into the shower.

She wrapped a towel tightly around her body, walking out to see their two friends in the closet, pulling out and shoving clothes back in. Hermione cleared her throat, only receiving a quick look from the girls as they continued their discussion. She rolled her eyes again and sat down at the vanity table, beginning to try to untangle her hair.

When she was about half way done, Pansy came over to her and showed her the ivory colored full skirt and a matching blouse with small gold embroidery with tiny gold buttons. "Here, Narcissa likes things very proper during tea." She explained, showing Hermione the matching stockings and pumps.

Ginny walked over and began arranging Hermione's hair into a tight bun, with the ends tucked elegantly into the twists. With that done, Pansy applied some clear gloss and a shimmering pink eye shadow. She put a double strand seed pearl necklace and the matching bracelet and declared her ready to go.

She made her way nervously down the stairs to the room that had been prepared for her. At the softly spoken "Enter," the young girl entered the room, not knowing that this would mark a definite turning point in her life.

Narcissa smiled and stood as Hermione walked into the room. She noticed and apprieated the obvious care that the girl had taken in her appearance, knowing that Pansy must have had a word in the proper choice of outfit.

Narcissa walked over to the girl, feeling her nervousness and wishing to relieve it, knowing that what she wanted from this meeting would be better achieved through good conversation rather than uncomfortable statements and forced agreements. When she reached the girl, she took both small hands in her own and kissed Hermione once on each cheek.

"I do hope you like Earl Gray, that is the only tea I found. I must confess that I do not know my was around any kitchen." Narcissa said as they both sat down at the small round table across from each other.

"Its fine, really." Hermione answered, keeping her guard up, not knowing what to expect. She much rather had had the old, cold Mrs. Malfoy, with that sour expression on her face and looking down at her. This one was almost too nice and gracious.

"I know you must be curious as to why exactly I requested this little tea date."

"Yes, ma'am, I really am. I would think that you would want to spend more time with Pansy. I don't have a clue as to what you might want to speak about." Hermione replied, copying the elder woman when she carefully arranged her napkin on her lap.

"I love Pansy dearly, but she is more for discussions on the latest robes to buy and the current gossip. No, I know you want to argue on this, I can see it in your eyes. Your relationship with her may be different, but that is mine. But I am extremely to know more about you." Narcissa said, serving the tea but keeping her gaze on the girl, observing all movements, mentally noting where the girl would need refining and coaching.

Hermione's defense of her friend died on her lips, not wanting to enter into a conversation about her friend. "Why? I mean, even Ginny would have more in common with you."

"No, my dear. You and I are more alike than what you might think. I myself am a great scholar and love to read everything I can lay my hands on. I even recently began reading some muggle literature. Mainly Shakespeare, with some Montesquieu."

"Really?" Hermione asked, her interest peaked. Her mother had given her a book on the political commentator last year and she was dying for some one to have a decision regarding the man.

The two woman launched into a thrilling conversation on everything from geography, politics, art, and history, both muggle and wizard alit. They switched the roles of teacher and student with each topic of conversation, talking as if they'd known each other for years.

"So, my dear, what do you plan on doing after Hogwarts?" Narcissa asked, serving their second cups of tea.

"I plan to work for the Ministry. Maybe take some university classes on my days off." Hermione replied honestly.

"That is extremely ambitious. Any position in the Ministry is very hard to come by. You have your connections and grades, but it will still be difficult."

"I know it will be, which is why I must do it." Hermione replied, taking the little china cup and blowing to cool the tea.

Narcissa smiled at this habit, not seeing any other girl do something like it in a proper tea setting. "Are you in a hurry?" She asked with a raised eyebrow, indicating her tea.

"Oh, no. sorry, it's just a habit. I'm always working on some project or running around after Harry and Ron." Hermione answered, blushing a bit.

"That's quiet all right, dear. I can't say it must have been easy for you to have your formative years in the wizarding world with two rambunctious boys as your clostes friends."

"I actually thought it was fine. Girls in my year waste too much time. I wouldn't have the grades that I have today if I socialized much with them. With Harry and Ron, I had my place." She said, picking up a small spoon and micking Narcissa, slowly stirring her drink to air it.

"You refer to your friendship with the boys almost in past tense. Has their been a falling out?"

"No, nothing like that. It's just that we were only three at the beginning. Now there are three more and your son seems to have replaced me at the little core of our group." Hermione confessed for the first time out loud.

"I'm sure that that was never Draco's intentions." Narcissa replied, tracking the conversation in her mind and thinking of how to steer it in the direction she wanted.

"I know, I guess I'm just being silly."

"No, you have rightfully tried t o defend what was yours. But now you have girls as close friends, which, if you don't mind me saying, seems to come at the perfect time."

"What do you mean?" The younger girl asked, trying to see if a veiled insult was there.

"You have this wall, around who you truly are. I see a beautiful, brilliant witch in front of me and I know you don't see the same when you look into a mirror. Everyone knows of your brilliance and thorough knowledge of all things that you read.

"Your beauty has been very carefully hidden by yourself, also. Hiding behind your books, not paying much attention to clothing or any other feminine quality. Apart from the Yule Ball, which was just to prove a point to Harry and Ron, you have tried to deny your womanly qualities.

"But you're obviously enjoying having your two friends fuss over you, making you up and dressing you in proper clothes. How natural it will be for you to act like a woman, laughing and being carefree in accord to your age. To have men paying attention to you, not just for your mind, but also for your appearance. I saw the new glow in your eyes last night, and I bet anything that you do enjoy the attention of the opposite sex. And I'm know that your mother has something to do with you negating your true feelings. " Narcissa finished, knowing that the girl was trying to process what was being said.

Hermione looked at Narcissa, shocked. Never in a million year had she thought someone would see through her walls, especially someone that had only seen her a few times. At the mention of her mother, her heart began to race, not wanting to let the woman know of what their relationship was really like.

"You're wrong. And my mother has nothing to do with any of it. She loves me." Hermione said, the statement not sounding true to even her own ears.

"We'll leave it at that. I did not mean to upset you. But I would like to offer you something." Narcissa said carefully.

"What? And I truly don't feel those things. I mean, I chose what life I wanted and just because I don't want to waste my time and foolishly gossip my mind away." Hermione said, desperate to defend herself.

"Whatever you say, my dear. But what I wanted to offer you is in a way a mentorship. I want to groom you, Hermione. Teach you how a proper lady of well means comports herself in the public eye. Truthfully, I've always wanted a daughter, I was hoping I could fill the place with you to a certain degree." Narcissa said warmly.

"I've already got a mother. She loves me, she only wants what's best for my future."

"Yes, but I must question why? I mean, she seems overbearing, just by carriage and looks alone. What I'm offering is the affection of mothers. And, being seen and spoken about with me, you'll gain connections to our society you would never even dream of." She said, thinking to herself how and even if she would clue her in on her future with Draco. "I mean, if you have some aspirations for politics, you need to make contacts, have the society ladies on your side so that they can have you causes mentioned to the husbands. By the way, is their a man in your life right now?"

"No, no one." She said, blushing under the direct stare from Narcissa.

"Good, I mean, if you do decide to start seeing someone, it should be a man of influence, someone who will increase your status and reputation."

"I'm not planning on being involved with anyone. I want to be settled in a career before any of that happens." Hermione said, wanting to change the subject but also wanting to be sure Mrs. Malfoy wasn't playing matchmaker with one of the Slytherin's.

Jane Granger was ready to kill someone. She had gone to the girls' bedroom, being told that Hermione was still with Mrs. Malfoy by those two insolent girls. No, this was totally unacceptable, the woman thought to herself when she continued her search.

"Mrs. Granger, correct?" Katharina said coming up behind her with a sly smile.

"What do you want? Cant you see that I'm busy? So unless you know where my daughter is, leave me be." Jane said angerly, stepping to walk out the room.

"I want to talk about your daughter, Mrs. Granger."

"I don't have time to waste on speaking of what a good witch she is." She replied, reaching the door.

"Even if it concerns her and Draco Malfoy?" Katharina said, with a vicious smile when she saw the older woman stop.

"What did you say?"

"I think we have a common interest in keeping the two of them apart, don't you think?" The blonde said, sitting down and putting her legs up next to her on the chaise.

"What exactly are you implying?" Jane asked, sitting down and scrutinizing Katharina.

"The new Lord Malfoy happens to be a daywalker, a vampire, Mrs. Granger." Katharina said, smiling at the shocked face on the woman. "Oh, I guess your precious daughter did not tell you." Katharina said, pleased with the shocked look on the woman's face. "And that is not all, Mrs. Granger. It appears that your daughter is said vampires' mate. Unless we stop this, your daughter will be married and bonded to Draco very soon."

"Never! If I tell Hermione to sever all contact with that thing, she will." Jane replied, her temper getting the best of her.

"Mrs. Granger, it does not work that why. A vampire will survive without its mate, but not without a fight. Given Draco's temperament and new powers, he will claim your daughter, something that neither of us wants."

"Why do you want to be involved?"

"Because Draco is too powerful to be stuck with someone like your daughter. There are dozens of our kind that would make a better partner. Your daughter would soften him, making him settle into a wasted life if they are allowed to be together." Katharina said passionately.

"Ah, now I see. You want him for yourself."

"And you want your daughter to need you and follow your rules." The blond replied.

"She would never go against my wishes."

"Really, I wouldn't have thought it from last nights little displays. The girl does not know that she is Draco's intended, but with Narcissa here, Draco will be forced to tell her. Time is running out, Mrs. Granger. If you plan to keep your daughter, I suggest we join and stop this before we're too late. Once Draco has claimed Hermione, nothing will separate them, he will keep her against her will if need be."

"So I take it we have an agreement?" Jane asked, extending her hand. After shaking Katharina's hand, she nodded and continued her search for Hermione, intent on finding her daughter.

Katharina smiled to herself, justified in her mind that she was doing the right thing. If allowed to mate, Hermione Granger would only bring down the boy, keeping him from his future role as the leader of the day walkers and vampires. With Draco at the helm of their government, he'll raise them to the proper status in the world. With a proper lady by his side, namely herself, they would rule and dominate their kind.

Draco would of course fight this for a while, but she was prepared to wait. That was one of her gifts, her patience. She knew that it would be a uphill battle, but she would be with the boy. She had waited for years, planning and no little muggleborn was going to take her proper place.

"I think we should talk to the girls today, before we start the training." Harry said, sorting out his gifts.

"What are you going to say?" Ron asked, cleaning his broom with his new kit.

"Just flat out and tell them, I guess. Pansy wont be too difficult. I'm more worried about Ginny, her temper is deadly." Draco said, from his closet. They all agreed, being at some point at the bad end of her wand.

"Draco, how about you have Hermione distracted while well tell the two?" Harry asked.

"What? I thought we were going to tell them all together. Hermione can't fight." Draco said, dropping his shirt on the bed, taking a offensive stance.

"Hermione has proved to all of us that she could fight as good as any of us." Harry replied calmly.

"I'm only saying this once, and it is not up for discussion, but Hermione will not fight. She will stay back with Ginny and Pansy. If you want Hermione to fight, I withdraw my support." Draco said, his fists clasping and unclasping with tension.

"Why? I mean, Hermione has been by our sides since the beginning. Nothing will happen." Ron said, getting slammed against the wall for his words with an angry wave of Draco's hand.

All at once, both Harry and Draco rushed to Ron, Draco rapidly apologizing. They pulled the stunned boy up, both looking at Draco. Harry stared at Draco for a few seconds, seeming to think things over.

"All right, no Hermione." He finally said, causing Ron to start muttering on how they were going to be tortured and killed at the wands of the girls.

"Hermione, before you go, I want to ask for your opinion of my son." Narcissa said, trying o be nonchalant about it.

"What do you mean?" The girl asked, trying to leave as fast as she can. She could practically hear her mother's lecture.

"I have heard of your many wonderful qualities over the summer. You have made quite the impression on my son and your friendship has made him into a better man. I know that during his younger years he was a bit, shall we say 'difficult' but he changed since you all came into his life." Narcissa said, carefully studying her face.

"Well, he was a royal bastard and evil boy during our first years Mrs. Malfoy." Hermione said honestly, causing a small laugh from the woman. "He used to try to make our life miserable, but now-well now he just fits with us. He makes our little group, whole I guess. And he a good person. I like talking to him, he can carry an intelligent conversation, like you can, better than Harry or Ron." She finished honestly.

"Very well, my dear. This has truly been a delightful tea and I hope its repeated." Narcissa said, standing and going to hug the girl. When Hermione was in her arms, she drew a razor sharp index fingernail and sliced a few hairs that had come undone near the nape of her neck.

After Hermione left, Narcissa studies the few strands of hair, 'well,' she thought to herself, 'if things don't happen fast enough, I think these will come in handy to help things along.'

As soon as she stepped out of the room, she saw her mother coming towards her with a furious look on her face.

"Morning, mum." She said softly, trying to make sure that nobody was in the hall to see their exchange.

"I want a word with you, Hermione." Jane said, grabbing her arm tightly and pulling her down the halls to the bedroom that she was arrived.

Jane shoved her into the room, slamming the door. "How dare you! Have you learned nothing! The first thing I see when I came through the door was you acting like a stupid whore. You idiot, silly girl, have you thought about all the work and sacrifices that I've made for you to have everything!" Jane ranted, paced the room and shooting her disgusted looks.

"Mum, I don't know what you're talking about! I've never eve-" Hermione was suddenly silenced by her mothers slap across her face.

"I aught to take you out of this school! After all I've warned you about! After all the pain and suffering I went through for you this is how you repay me. I've never been so ashamed to have born you as I am now! To see how you're just whoring yourself to those boys, its disgraceful and I will not allow it, Hermione!"

Hermione just looked down at the floor, tears streaming down her face, not having the energy to put up the mask again. She just looked up at her mother, in mid-rant, and just decided that she couldn't handle this anymore. She just looked at her mother and made up her mind, standing and running out the room.

Later that afternoon, the teens all had gathered in the library, the boys remaining on their feet and Hermione quietly looking out the window, a sadness that nobody knew what was the cause.

"Um, we have something to tell you guys." Harry said after a few minutes, calling them all to the middle of the room, with the door to their backs in case of a fast escape was needed.

Hermione slowly turned and stumbled into the seat, slightly away from the other two girls. She just sat there, not paying attention to the concerned glances from Draco and harry.

"Um, well we've been talking for a long time and we've come to a decision." Harry paused, looking at ron and draco on either side of him. "Well, we have decided, between the three of us, that you three wont be in training. Um, none of you girls will be in any active fighting."

There seemed to be a sudden lack of any noise, broken when Hermione stood and looked at harry in the eyes, lacking the usual sparkle. "So I've been completely replaced, haven't I?" She asked softly, no emotion in her voice. Then she did something that she could rarely allow herself to do, much less in front of people. She ran out of the room for a second time that day, completely convinced of the loveless life she was leading and the fact that her best friend, her harry had just took her out of the plans that were in the making since the beginning of their school careers.

Ginny seemed to come to her senses when Hermione slammed the door, pulling her wand out and began casting hexes and nasty curses at the boys, Pansy helping her with some strong ones of her own. Harry managed to erect a shield for the spells and ran out the room to search for Hermione.

He searched the house for several minutes, searching the first two floors. He finally reached the attic door, opening it and stepping inside. The sight that greeted him made his heart ache, seeing his best friend huddled by the window, rocking herself, sobs escaping her throat.

He slowly walked to her, not sure of what to do. He sat down next to the shaking girl, throwing his arm around her, tucking her head under his. "You know I'm complete rubbish around crying girls, 'Mione." He said gently, kissing the top of her head.

They just sat there in silence, harry trying his hardest to comfort the young woman in his arms. "You know, sweetheart, I cant have you fight. What would happen if you got hurt or worse? I wouldn't be able to live without you in my life. I love you, Hermione. You are my sister and I'd rather die than have something happen to you, even just a little scratch would hurt me."

"I cant do it anymore, Harry. I'm not strong enough." She whispered desperately.

"You don't have to be strong anymore, Hermione. We will carry you, 'Mione. You've been strong for us for over six years, you can slow down, you can let us be your support." Harry said, meaning every word and trying to convey his feelings to the girl.

"I'm so tired, harry. I think I'm falling." She whispered, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"I'll be here to catch you, 'Mione. Just let go and we'll be there, right behind you." Harry whispered, kissing her temple and rocking her.

AN: I hope this chapter is up to par and thanks to those who reviewed. I'll have the new chapter up maybe by tomorrow or Sunday, reviews make me post faster, Hinthint with Draco and Narcissa talking about their plans for Hermione and we'll meet Narcissa's mate (Three guesses who?) and Hermione will find out why Draco is so obsessed with her. I know, finally, right? Anyways, hope this chapter is better then the other, and again thanks a million for the reviews.


	13. Chapter 13

Draco and Ron managed to escape Ginny's anger with minor damage, running as fast as they could from the young girl, both rethinking there decision to exclude them from the battle to come, but not voicing their opinion. They separated at the kitchen, both going to try and let the girls cool off.

Draco strolled down the gloomy halls and slowly made his way to his mother's room. He was nervous at how that mornings' meeting had gone. He had spent the best night of his entire life and he knew that he would not rest until it became a daily happening.

He gently knocked on his mother's door and opened at her soft acknowledgement. His mother sat at the vanity, brushing through her long hair. She gave her son a huge smile, calmly setting the brush down.

She slowly stood and turned, facing her only son. "Well, I think you are here to know about this morning, aren't you son?" She asked with a teasing smile.

"Mother, please don't tease. I need to know what happened. Things are moving too slow for me. I must have her, willingly or forced, but I will have her." Draco said, a spark of fire in his eyes and the tension in his body increased.

"Relax, my love. I have good feelings on this. Your Ms. Granger is a true delight. She's brilliant and beautiful. She will need some grooming her and there, but other then that, a true gem. Oh, Draco! She's perfect for you! You must have her soon, she'll be my new pet." Narcissa said excitedly.

"Mother, she's not a animal. And I will tell her soon. I might even tell her after her father arrives so I can demand her hand as soon as possible." Draco replied smugly.

"With these types of people you cant demand, Draco. You must ask. besides, I think the problems will come from the mother and not the father." She said, coming off her high spirits.

"What do you mean?" Draco asked sitting down across from his mother.

"I don't know yet, but something is not right. Also, I think we should find a new mentor for you as soon as we can. I don't trust that Katharina. She makes me feel as if I did something evil at her bidding. She is not a good influence for you, love." She said, standing and sitting down by him, grasping his larger hands in hers.

"You are too worried over me, Mother. Katharina's fine, besides, I wont need her for long." He replied, removing her hands from his. "So, what else did you and Hermione talk about?"

"Just about everything. She is such a pleasure, really Draco. Oh, and just in case things don't happen fast enough, I snatched a little token, just to help things along." Narcissa said with a very sly smile. She pulled out a teal lace handkerchief from the pocket of her robes and unfolded it.

Draco gasped when he instantly recognized the brown curls from Hermione. "How did you get this?" He asked amazed, taking the stands and catching the smell that had haunted him for weeks before.

"I was is Slytherin, love. If things do not work out naturally, then we'll make it happen." She explained. She felt a slight twinge of guilt at the possibility of harming the girl, but it was swiftly suppressed when she remembered her own lonely life and how Draco always had to hold himself back around the girl.

"Yes, well I don't want anything done until I tell her first." Draco replied.

"And when exactly will that be? Draco, I do want grandchildren before I get too old to enjoy them. And I would feel better with you settled and spoken for."

"Mother, don't worry, I'll tell her soon. She's a smart girl, she has to have realized that things aren't the same between us."

"Hello, Hermione." Viktor said, slowly coming into the study. He had made sure that Draco would be away from both of them so that they had a chance to speak without interruptions.

"How are you, Viktor?" She asked quietly with a small smile.

"I wanted to know if you might want to talk? You've been very quiet at meals."

"I'm fine, Viktor. I'm just a little tired, but please-come sit for a while. I'm sorry that I haven't spent much time with you, but you know how it is." She said, putting a bookmark where she left off.

"You look even more beautiful than last time. Tell me again why it did not work between us?" He started, staring deeply into her eyes.

Hermione breathed slowly, used to this line of conversation for a while now. "You know why, Viktor. You need yourself a nice girl that can travel around the world with you and have a fun and bubbly personality. You would have been miserable with me." She said, trying to convey her sincerity.

"I have been talking to Dumbledore and I have news for you. I'll be working for the Order now. Nothing big, just some recruiting for now. Quidditch has been put on hold for me right now. I thought that maybe we cou-"

"No, Viktor. I'm not in a position to be in a relationship. Not with you or anyone." Hermione said, interrupting him before anymore was said. She stood, needing to get out of the room. She stopped by his chair, giving him a quick kiss on top of his head.

"I'm so sorry, Viktor. I wish I could return your feelings, but I cant." She whispered and walked out.

Katharina walked into the bedroom that the boys shared, smiling when she saw Draco by a mirror. "There you are. I've been looking all over for you." She said with a fake smile.

"What do you need?" He asked, buttoning his shirt. He turned and grimaced when he saw her choice of outfit for the day. "Don't you ever wear proper clothing?" He asked.

She smiled to herself and reclined on his bed. "Do I make you uncomfortable, Lord Malfoy, with what I'm wearing? Most women of our kind wear this type of clothing when they are at home, with their partner and family." She said, fingering the edge of one layer.

Draco eyed the robes closer. It was practically see-through, made up of a few layers of cream colored sheer material, leaving practically nothing for the imagination. "Well, neither your partner nor family is here, so I would appreciate it if you would cover up and respect the other girls in this household." Draco said sternly.

"I don't know why you are being like this. You've seen many naked women, if your reputation is to be believed and there are things that I need to teach you that are quiet intimate in nature. If you would have grown up properly with your own kind, you would know that our bodies are made to be admired and displayed."

"Well, I did not grown up around you so I require you to dress in a proper matter. That is final." Draco said, walking out the room.

He walked around the house, looking for something to occupy his mind. After some time, he found Hermione in the kitchen, her face buried in a book. The familiar sight made his heart skip a few beats as he debated on whether to interrupt the young woman.

"Did you need something?" Hermione asked when she heard him taking a deep breath.

"I'm sorry. Did I interrupt something?" He asked, stepping into the room.

"No, not at all." She said, smiling and going back to her room.

He walked over to the cookie jar and took out several of the sugar cookies that Mrs. Weasley had made. He said down across for the reading girl with a glass of milk and the sugar pot.

Hermione looked secretly at him as he stir sugar into the glass of milk and began eating the cookies. He had sprinkled some extra sugar on them and seemed as the cookie tasted like a gourmet meal. "You know, that cant be very good for your teeth. You wouldn't want painful cavities on your fangs, now would you?" She asked as Draco drank his milk and was on his 10th cookie.

"I'm perfect, Granger. And I'm a Malfoy, Malfoy's do not have damaged teeth." Draco said, sticking his nose in the air. The whole effect was ruined though when Hermione reached over and wiped some crumbs off from the corner of his mouth.

Draco was extremely tempted to draw her small finger into his mouth, but held himself back, needed to know how she felt about him before anything happened. The wizard part of him needed to know that she wanted to be with him for him, not because they were mates, or the title and money involved with his new position.

"You know, I wanted to ask if you wanted to visit the manor with me tomorrow?" He said suddenly.

"Excuse me?" She asked, closing her book.

"Yes. Mother needs me to go sign some papers and tend to some business for some property. I like you to see my personal library. I think you might really like it. I mean, I have some rare books that I know you probably even never heard of. I'd really like it if you'd join me." He said shyly, staring down at the counter and willing her to say yes.

"I'd like that, Draco. I'll ask mum if I can go and I'll tell you tomorrow." She said with a smile.

AN: Very short chapter but I wanted to post something today. I have family driving me nuts because of the baby and I don't have much time to write. I have the next chapter planned out, just need to find time to type it all down because it'll be about 10 pages long. I was going to introduce Narcissa's mate, but I'm thinking of changing him when I read a review. Anyways, a million thanks to all reviewers, and I'll update as soon as possible.


	14. Chapter 14

Draco was about to suggest that they might have dinner after visiting the manor when they both heard Arthur Weasley calling out to see who was home.

Hermione smiled and went to see Mr. Weasley. Draco dropped his head on the counter, berating himself for the nervousness that seemed to overtake him whenever she was near. He had never had any problems with women since the age of 14, his reputation proved it. But now he was dealing with a girl that didn't bat her eyelashes at him, who could hold a proper and interesting conversation without twirling her hair or leaning against him.

His musings were interrupted by a scream from Hermione. He immediately jumped up, knocking the stool over and ran towards the sound, wand and claws out. He ran down the hall, ready to attack whoever was there. What he saw made him immediately stop in his tracks.

Hermione had her arms and legs wrapped around a man, his face hidden under the mass of honey brown curls. He fought his instinct to rip her away from the man and hurt him for daring to touch what was his.

Hermione let out a shout of surprise when she saw her father walk in with Mr. Weasley. She immediately covered her mouth, ran and clinging to her father. She had never been able to break the habit of running up and jumping on him ever since she was a small girl, mother to her mothers' ire, and she always reacted the same way after seeing her father after a long absence.

She clung to him, inhaling his cologne and relishing in the warmth and love that was radiating off him. She had always felt safe and loved whenever in his presence and now was no exception. She buried her face in his shoulder and wrapped her arms tighter.

Arthur noticed Draco come into the room and was surprised to see the raw and violent look that the young man had in his eyes. He cleared his throat, Hermione turned her head and finally saw Draco standing at the door, looking ready to curse the lot of them.

She blushed and finally pulled away from her father. Clearing her throat, she tugged on her shirt and sent a small smile towards the boy. "Um, Draco, this is my dad, Richard Granger. Daddy, this is my good friend Draco Malfoy." Hermione said politely.

Draco nodded, withdrawing his wand. "Pleased to meet you." He said cautiously. He knew that the mother was not to be trusted, so he didn't know how to treat her father. There was obvious affection between the two, but he would withhold his opinion until he had more to go on. For now, he needed to find a way to get her next to him and away from the other man.

"Nice to meet you also. My Hermione has mentioned you before." Richard said with a smile. He stepped closer to the younger man and shook his hand, pleased with the firm grip he received.

"Daddy, how long are you staying?" Hermione asked, wrapping her arm around his waist.

"Only for the weekend, sweet pea. Your mothers' patients have her booked all next week, so we will really need to get back." Richard replied, his arm going around Hermione's shoulder.

"Oh, well. How about I cook us a nice dinner tonight. We'll get a chance to talk and spend some time together." Hermione replied. She heard a sound coming from Draco and looked over at him, surprised to a strange look in his eyes.

She walked over to him. She saw his normally calm gray blue eyes surrounded by a ring of crimson. She worriedly tucked a strand of white-blonde hair behind his ear and looked into his eyes.

He closed his eyes at the first feel of her hand, relishing the close contact. He brought up his hand and grabbed her smaller one. When he opened them again, he gave her a warm smile and mentally patted himself on the back when she rewarded him with a smile of her own and stayed by his side, not removing her hand from his.

"Um, Daddy. I just remembered that Draco asked me to go with him to visit his home. He has some work to do and has offered to show me his library. Um, I wanted to ask if-" She was interrupted by her mother's voice coming from behind.

"Richard, love. How good of you to come." Jane said, her voice completely void of any emotion. She walked over to the group, giving Hermione a scathing look as she passed. She kissed her husband's cheek, smiling to herself when she saw the defeated look on Hermione's face.

Draco felt Hermione shut herself inside her mind when Jane joined the group. She tensed and turned her gaze to the floor, completely forgetting what she was about to ask her father. "Mr. Granger, as Hermione was asking before, I invited her to my house for the day. Many members of my family have been great book collectors, so I thought that your daughter would like to browse through my collection." Draco said with all the upper crust upbringing that his tone could carry.

"Absolutely not. No offense to you, my dear boy, but Hermione is not the type of girl to just go around gallivanting around with strange men." Jane said. She opened her mouth to continue her speech when she was interrupted by her husband.

"Now, dear. I don't really think it would be all that awful to have these two go out for a couple of hours. Young Mr. Malfoy here seems like a good, solid young man, and I bet our Hermione here would just love to have a look at a private book collection. As long as he has her back at a decent hour, I don't see the harm." Richard replied, smiling when Hermione looked up at him.

"Really, Daddy?" Hermione asked, refusing to look at her mother.

"Yes, sweetie. As long as your back in good time, go ahead and enjoy yourself." Richard replied, smiling at the happy expression on his daughters face.

"Thank you, sir. I'll have her back in a few hours." Draco replied. He turned quickly and jogged up the staircase, Hermione running to catch up with his longer strides. He looked behind and they caught each others eyes. That caused them both to laugh and they continued down the halls.

Draco finally led them into the study. They both leaned into the door, looking and laughing at each other. "Mother's going to kill you." Hermione said, softening the statement with a smile.

"She can kill me after we come back. I think we should leave a quick note for the others to read while we are out." Draco replied, walking over to the desk and pulling out a piece of parchment. With that done, he spelled the letter to appear in the kitchen.

"Ok, we'll floo to the gate house of the manor, then we can go directly to it." Draco explained, pulling out vile of the green powder.

"The gate house?"

"Yes. Wards allow no one directly into the manor or its other so every one has to pass through there first. After the wards recognize that you're with me, we'll drive up to the manor." Draco explained, walking over to the fireplace. He turned back, extending his hand out to Hermione.

She didn't know why, but a sudden feeling of confusion overtook her. She just looked at his hand for a second, two voices battling in her mind. One said to run back downstairs as fast as she could, beg forgiveness from her mother and go back to her studies habits and ignore the feelings that arose whenever the boy was next to her. The other voice yelled in her mind to take Draco's hand, to go with him whenever he wanted to take her. She remembered how she felt the night before she came to Order headquarters, that feeling that nothing would ever been the same.

Draco stood still, nervousness sneaking up on him as Hermione just stared at his offered hand. He saw the war in her eyes and just stood there, willing her with his very soul to take the offering, knowing now that the time to dally and stall the bonding would only confuse things. He nearly jumped in relief when he felt her tiny hand grab onto his, with a vulnerable look in her eyes, she smiled shyly up at him, stepping closer to the fireplace.

"It's concentrated powder. Try to hang on to me as tightly as possible and I'll be only a few seconds ahead of you at the landing because of the wards." He said, stepping into the grate and pulling his around tightly around her shoulders. She smiled up at him and wrapped her arms around his waist, tightening her grip when he raised his arm with he floo powder.

Draco landed hard on his feet, immediately turning and managing to steady Hermione as she came through the fire. He held her close to his body as she found her balance and smiled down at her.

"My hero." She said, relived when he broke the serious gaze and smiled.

"You know, one of these days, I might just let you fall." He said with a smirk, releasing her but not stepping away.

"You'll never let me fall, draco. You'll always be there for me." Hermione said without really thinking. She just looked up into his eyes, wishing that she could take the small statement.

She was saved from humiliation when the door opened and in walked the strangest elf Hermione had ever seen. He was dressed in a tiny green suit with a snake emblem on the small lapel.

"Welcome home, Master Draco." The small creature said, bowing low and offering a smile.

"Hello Prudy. How are you?" Draco said with a genuine smile.

"Very well, young Lord, thank you for asking."

"Good, good. I'd like you to meet my guest, Miss Hermione Granger. Hermione, Prudy here is the head elf of the house, like a butler if you will." Draco explained.

"Pleasure is all mine, ma'am. It is not every day that the master deems a young lady fine enough to allow her to come to the estate. Well, lets move on to the Manor, please. It is rather uncouth to just be standing out in this miserable little room." Prudy stated.

Hermione just looked at the elf and then back at draco, wondering what was going on. He took her arm and lead her out the room, towards an awaiting Rolls Royce. Hermione let a gasp slip out her mouth when she sought sight of the famed Malfoy Manor. What she saw could not possibly be described as a home.

The estate was at least four floors, from what she could see. The dark stones of the edifice were menacing in there gloomy color. Huge rows of cathedral style windows looked dark from the distance, not helping to relieve the depressing mood of the house. Dragons and gargoyles were littered throughout the roof and turrets of the mansion. The whole stone driveway was lined with snake sculptures that made her shiver and walk closer to Draco.

He offered his hand again to help her into the car, sitting as close a he dared. "How do you like my house so far? Largest estate in all of England. There are stables, guests villa's and several gardens as well as my full sized Quidditch pitch." Draco said, desperate that she like the home, which would of course be hers soon.

"You grew up here? I've never seen anything like this." She said, looking around the property.

He pointed out some comments here and there on their ten minute drive up to the house, trying to impress her as much as possible.

"Well, Master Draco. We are about to come up now. I have taken the liberty of having all the documents that need tending to in the working study. Lady Malfoy has done all she can, but of course she was not able to accomplish much. It is all in order, I assure you and arrange in order of importance." Prudy said as the car started to slow down.

"Thanks, Pru. We'd like some food brought to us in about an hour." Draco said, rising from the car and breathing in the air. He always felt refreshed when on the gardens and the grounds. The house was too formal and stuffy, but hopefully would be impressing to his guest.

"Wow. I've never even seen a house this big. It looks about as big as Hogwarts, almost."

"It is. The rooms are bigger, of course. But by the surveyors estimates, it's about an eighth bigger than school. We only use a small part of the rooms, but it's nice to know that we have room to spread out." He said with pride.

He took her arm in his and led her up the stone steps. The huge double doors opened slowly into the grand entrance way. Rare art work and a huge Persian rug greeted her eyes. Every surface and wall was a decorated with gold or other fine art.

"Close your mouth, Madame. It's slightly ungainly for a lady such as yourself." Draco said, placing her hand on his forearm and bringing his other hand over hers. "This is main entrance hall. To the left is the wing that we actually use, and to the right are the ball rooms and storage. The main library of the house is housed there also, but we'll leave that for another day.

"Our wing spreads in two directions, the right is mine and my parents occupied the left. After I finish with the paperwork, I'll take you around some of the more interesting rooms of the house. I'd like to show you the gardens also. That is the one place my mother actually had control over." Draco said, pulling her towards the left staircase.

They walked for about fifteen minutes, draco pointing out some painting or peaking into a room here and there. He had pride in his voice over certain objects and places.

They stopped at the end of one hall, the two teens just standing for a few seconds in front of the large oak double doors. "Is there something wrong, Draco?" Hermione asked softly.

"This was fathers' study. The last time I was in here when he wasn't, I got hit with a crucio. I was about 10 years old." Draco said quietly.

"Draco, you are better than him. I'll be with you all the way. If you want, I can go inside and get whatever you need and work in another room. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable in your own home." Hermione said, taking one of his hands in both of hers.

"I'm fine. Really, I can do this." Draco said with a smile. He opened the door and was surprised to see some changes that his mother made. The large portrait of his father over the fireplace was gone, replaced by a Monet landscape. Couches were scattered throughout the room to form little reading corners, overall make the room look a little warmer.

"This is fabulous!" Hermione said, looking at the floor to ceiling bookshelves with a huge smile on her face.

"Go have fun. Read whatever you like. On the stand over there is an index book. Touch the subject with your wand and all the books we have on that subject will appear. Touch the word again and the book will appear on the space next to it. It can also give you the books from the other rooms in the house."

A few minutes later, Hermione had pulled out about five books and had settled herself on the sofa closest to the large mahogany desk, working through the two large stacks of parchment and portfolios.

Every few minutes, draco snuck peaks out of the corners of his eyes at Hermione, smiling to himself at how natural her being there, with her shoes off and feet on the couch. It was surprising how perfect the whole seen was: her reading and lounging on a chaise while he worked to keep them at the top of wizarding society. The only thing missing were a couple of kids making noise and her belly swollen with the next one. He smiled at the thought, knowing he would have her with child as soon as possible and that she would be a perfect mother.

Hermione's chosen subject was, of course, vampires. She would occasionally look over at Draco, smiling as she saw him working, sometimes biting on at the end of his sugar quill, or fiddling with the small stud in his ear. She liked to watch him, especially when he thought that she wasn't looking. He made cute little expressions, like pursing his lips or wrinkling his forehead. He reminded her of a young boy, playing with his Daddy's things and she found that strangely attractive. Of course she tried to bury it, but the feeling still stuck in the back of her mind, beneath all the information she was absorbing.

Several hours later, Draco finally signed the bottom of the last parchment. He looked over at Hermione, who was currently on her stomach and sipping on some tea, totally engrossed in her book.

"Want to take a walk? I need to move a bit." Draco said suddenly.

Hermione just smiled and nodded, slipping on her black clogs again. He brought her hand to his forearm again. They walked arm in arm, talking about small, random things. Hermione was of course impressed with the amount of work that Draco had had been carrying out over the past year.

By the time they walked out to the main garden, Hermione was getting to know a new side to draco. Of course the badass, rude, insulting and snobby Draco was still there, but also a witty, generous and strangely kind Draco. He had a killer sense of humor that had Hermione in stitches several times and she noticed a certain pride in his voice when he pointed out several rooms or paintings.

Draco lead her over to the lake, conjuring a blanket. They both sat down on their stomachs. Hermione pulled out her book, opening to the page that she left off at. Draco leaned over, reading the first few sentences.

"I bet I could answer all your questions better then that book can. I sort of have personal experience." Draco said with a smirk, taking the book from her.

Hermione blushed and looked into his eyes, smiling at him because several chunks of hair had escaped the gel or whatever else he used to style his hair and fell across his eyes, making him look younger and innocent. "Are you sure?"

"Of course. I wouldn't have offered if I didn't mean it. What do you take me for, a Gryffindor. Come on with it, just ask me."

"Ok. Well, what's with your eyes? They're always changing color when I look at you. Either gray or blue and this morning with a bit of red on the edges."

"I haven't had my mate yet. My magic is not grounded yet. That's what happened with Krum the other day. When I claim my mate, she'll balance the dark side of me and even things out."

"Do you know who she is?" Hermione asked, sitting up with Draco following suit.

"Yes. And she's perfect. I know that it will be difficult, but hopefully my new powers will help. Some of them won't work, and the ones that do don't have a full affect." Draco explained, leaning against the willow tree.

"What powers?" Hermione asked, crawling over to him and settling herself in front of him.

"I have the seduction gift. With even the thought of a touch, I can make a woman want me." Draco said with a smirk.

"You cant be serious. Just with a touch? I don't think I quite believe you." Hermione said in disbelief.

"I knew that I was too good looking to be normal. I mean, look at us in school: girls trip over themselves for even a look from me."

"Yeah, right. I didn't fall for you." Hermione said with a teasing smile.

"I bet you I could right now. Without even really touching you, either." Draco said with a smirk, rising to kneel in front of her.

"You are not serious. This is me, Draco." Hermione said with a roll of her eyes.

"Ok. Well, take off your t-shirt and stay in that camisole thing. Now, the only question is what do I get if I win?"

"Anything you want since I know you will not win. This is just silly." Hermione said, but none the less complied.

Draco just sat on the back of his legs, smiling when she took off the shirt. He cleared his throat at the first look of the dark blue fitted camisole, smiling at her. "Ok, now just relax, extend your arm towards me, and close your eyes." He ordered.

"Why do I need to close my eyes?" Hermione asked.

"Do you trust me?" Draco asked seriously. He knew that question would touch her heart, it always did since the beginning of there friendship. He just sat there as she seemed to steel herself and slowly closed her eyes.

He had memorized the chapters on his book about what to expect of his mate. He concentrated all his raw powers that vampirism gave him to his fingertips. He breathed out slowly, closing his eyes for a brief seconds.

"It's not working." She said in a playful sing-song voice.

Draco just smirked and placed his middle and ring finger a few centimeters over her wrist. He smirked at her gasp, wondering what he would ask of her after she lost this bet. He slowly moved his fingers up, still not making actual contact with her skin, following the path of her veins. When he had reached the bend, he turned and began the way back down, starting at her elbow. He mentally congratulated himself when he noticed the goose bumps and the cute little breaths that were escaping her mouth, which were being bit down and wetted every few seconds.

As he reached her hand, she turned it with his motions, seeming to try to reach out for something. The little noises coming from the back of her throat had a stronger and more profound effect on him than all his sexual experiences with other women put together. He fought for control of his emotions, trying to plan out on how to speed up his seduction.

When Hermione had closed her eyes, she did not know what to expect. She felt a bit embarrassed for a few seconds, with her eyes closed, not enough clothing and hand in the air. But when she felt a strange sensation on her wrist, she was reminded of the feeling when draco had first arrived at headquarters. That same feel was now strangely physical, and it scared and excited her all at once.

It was as if all her blood was rushing to that small patch of skin that he was over, making her mind concentrate on just him and what he was doing, the rest of the world vanishing.

A feeling in the pit of her stomach made her uncomfortable. She thought that she had gotten over this whole 'crush' thing with draco and now it slammed back, with more force then ever.

Draco moved up again, reaching her collarbone. He held back a moan when she bit her lip and tilted her head to the left, exposing her neck to him. He leaned forward, his mouth and fangs close to her neck and veins.

Hermione laid down unconsciously, draco followed, desperate to maintain the close contact. She laid her left arm close to her face, fingers curled innocently. The other hand went to bury itself in his hair.

He heard a whimper and that broke his resolve. He brought his lips to hers and did what he had been wanting to do ever since they had first became true friends. The kiss was soft, almost a little bit on the innocent side. He had never felt so complete in his life. It was not just her face and body that pulled his eyes to her. It was her. He liked her passion and stubbornness. Her tenacity. He wanted her, all of her, and this feeling had come out a few months ago, before he had turned. It scared him, and made him fill with happiness all at the same time, which was a shock all in itself. He had thought a long time ago that his father had beaten all the true happiness when he was a young child.

Hermione could not believe this was happening. She tensed up and her eyes flew open wide. Draco put a hand on her hip and his other arm around her face. She slowly closed her eyes again and sunk into the ground, softly returning the kiss. She moaned low in the back of her throat.

Draco stiffened and groaned at the sound. "Hermione..." he said against her lips. He licked her bottom lip, trying to open her up a little more. He heard her moan again and moved his body to lay gently over her.

At this, Hermione opened her eyes and turned her head away, hearing draco let out a desperate groan. Hermione sat up, struggling to catch her breath again, almost hyperventilating at what had happened.

Draco was still laying down, breathing heavily, still reeling for the effects of that one kiss. He still felt her lips with his and fought for control again. He licked his lips again, retracting his fangs and managed to control and restrain himself. He sat back up, looking right into her eyes.

"What happened?" Hermione asked, bringing her hand to her lips as if they were something that she had never felt before.

"Hermione, would you be willing to go out with me?" Draco asked, changing plans immediately.

"What?" She asked, her voice still dazed.

"I want to take you out on a date. That is my prize for winning the bet. I want us to spend an evening together."

"But my mother would ne-"

"I don't want to go out with your mother. This is about you and me." Draco said, interrupting what he knew was coming. "I'm asking you to just be with me. If that kiss was an indication of what you feel for me, then we should at least try to see what could happen. Trust me, Hermione."

Hermione just stared into his gray-blue eyes, trying to make a decision. The look of hope and need made it up for her and she smile, nodding her hand shyly. She laughed out loud when he just jumped up and pulled her up by her hands, hugging her tightly and doing some sort of weird dance around the blanket.

Yes, things were going according to his plans perfectly.

AN: Ok, everyone: Being pregnant sucks. I'm a tiny girl (5'1", about 105 lbs.) and it sucks! I have morning sickness, my clothes don't fit right and my have people constantly touching my belly, which is not even noticeable yet. And then I got really gross cravings.

OK. Million sorry's for my ranting. I have no one else to really be bitchy at and rant. I want to send millions and trillions of thanks for all the reviews. I cant believe the response this has received and I'm just very thankful. Hope this chapter doesn't suck, bye bye now!! I'll update again very soon! Until then, just hit the review button and feed the muse.


	15. Chapter 15

The two teenagers were quiet as they flooed into the study as the sun set, both lost in thought over the events of the past few hours. After the lake incident, the two had walked slowly back to the manor, Draco with his arm wrapped possessively around her shoulders and Hermione at times unconsciously leaning her head into him. After a quite lunch, the two had decided to start heading back.

"I should go spend some time with my father." Hermione said softly as they stepped into the rug, still not meeting his eyes.

Draco hooked a finger under her chin and made her face up to him. "I know what you're thinking, Hermione. But all I ask is that you ignore everyone around you and your own head and just go on your feelings. When we have some time, I'll explain everything to you." Draco said softly, leaning down as if to kiss her.

Hermione turned her face away and was about to say something when the door opened and Pansy walked in. Hermione quickly tried to pull away, but Draco moved closer and wrapped an arm around her waist.

"Hermione, Ginny and I were looking for you. We need help with our summer project." Pansy said, saving the scene that she almost walked in on to the back of her mind to discuss later.

"Ok." Hermione said quietly, pulling away from Draco and walking over to her friend. Before she walked out, she turned to look back at Draco, wondering what would happen next.

The two girls walked to their room in silence. Pansy of course knew what was going on. She was a smart girl when it came to these things and a natural matchmaker at heart, just like Aunt Narcissa. She just had to find out a few details and get Ginny in on the plan.

When the two girls stepped into the bedroom, Ginny was already dressed in sweat pants, a snug long sleeved t-shirt and combat boots. Laid out for Hermione and Pansy was similar attire on their beds.

"I think we ought to go to the attic since the guys train in the cellar. What do you think?" Ginny asked the two girls.

After nods of approval the girls changed into their outfits and started to make their way up the stairs as quietly as possible. After making sure that they were not being followed, Ginny decided to inform her friends of the news.

"Now, I think I can get some outside help. Someone who wouldn't tell Harry." Ginny said, going over to the other side of the room. When she opened the door, Hermione and Pansy both let out gasps of surprise. Out of the doorway walked out the one and only Headmaster Dumbledore.

"My dear young ladies. I have come to offer my assistance in whatever you shall require. It seems as if your gentlemen friends are taking the gallant, but brutish, ways and want to forbid you lot to be in active duties. Now I've seen your growth and know your strengths and while I train the boys, I'll teach you the same as I teach them. I just must stress, most ardently, that you must all have a care for yourselves. I would never be able to forgive myself if something should happen to you."

"Thank you, headmaster. We certainly appreciate your help. I was wondering how we were going to go about this." Hermione said, with a smile to the old wizard.

After about three hours, the ladies had the beginnings of doubts on their choice. When Professor Dumbledore said that he would train them just like the boys, he really meant it. They were tired, sweaty, bruised, and mentally drained. And this was just the first practice.

"Headmaster, are you sure that the Harry, Draco and Ron are going through all this?" Pansy asked with a groan from her spot on the floor.

"Actually, Miss Parkinson, I went rather easy on you lot. Their training sessions are longer and without as many shields as I allowed you in consideration of you being young ladies."

At that, three groans were let out of the mouths of the girls from the floor. "Sir, with all due respect, but you are a slave driver! I think I've bruised every part of my body." Pansy said, rolling over on her stomach.

"I know it is difficult, my dear girls, but I want you three prepared and not make me regret putting you in such danger." With that, the old man walked out as he came.

Ginny slowly crawled to where Hermione and Pansy and began to cast healing charms. After a few minutes, the girls looked normal, although the soreness was still there and they began to make their way back to the main floor.

Mr. Granger smiled at his daughter when she walked into the kitchen. "Hi, love." He greeted, standing and giving her a kiss on top of her head.

"Hi, daddy. What do you feel like eating? I saw this recipe in Molly's cookbook for chicken and pasta casserole that I think you might like."

"Whatever you want, poppet. You know that I love whatever you do." He replied.

Conversation was kept light for the few minutes that Hermione was preparing the food. When she put the plate in the oven and brought him a glass of white wine.

"So, Herms. Tell me how you are, really." He asked, taking her small hands in his.

"I'm fine, daddy. Truly. School is going w-"

"I don't need to know about your school work, love. I know how wonderful you are. I mean how are you. I want to know if you're happy, or if you need anything. I want to know what is in that head of yours."

"Honestly daddy, I have know idea. I feel as if I'm lost and I don't know how to find my way."

"Well, I've always thought that your heart can always put you on the right path. It might hurt, but it is what is meant to happen."

"But daddy, I would disappoint Mother so much. And I'm not even to sure of what I want. A few weeks ago, I knew everything. I knew what would happen after I finished school, what I would achieve and when. Now, it's all mixed up in my head."

"Why? I mean, what has caused this change in you?"

"I'm not sure, daddy." Hermione replied, standing up and going to kneel before her father and placed her head on his lap.

"Hermione, I just want you to know that what ever you make up yourself, I will and am so inexplicitly proud of you. To see the young woman you have become, despite what your mother has put you through, well, all I can say is that you can do no wrong in my eyes."

"Why did you marry Mother, daddy? I mean, you are so different from her."

"Well, your mother was different when we were younger. But I was also to blinded by her looks to notice the faults that are so apparent now. But I cannot regret our life together since it gave me you." Richard said, pulling up his daughter and placing a kiss on her forehead.

"I love you, daddy. More then any other person in the world." Hermione whispered with a smile and kissed his cheek as the oven timer beeped. She stood and began to serve the meal, where conversation turned light again and they spent a happy and peaceful evening.

AN: We just moved into our dream house and it's been banana's around here and being forced to 'rest' every few hours by the crazy over possessive hubby. But I really wanted to update today so I came up with this quicky. The next chapter is ready, just give me 10 morer reviews. Thanks a billion and leave comments PLEASE.


	16. Chapter 16

Draco was sitting on a couch in the library, a book that he was apparently supposed to be reading in his lap, staring dreamily up at the ceiling. The day at the Manor could not have gone any better. He now had a clear vision of how and when he would get her.

Katharina was right, he could just go down there and claim her: Take her blood and bind her to him for the rest of their lives. But the human side of him loved the challenge, he loved to think that the once untouchable Hermione Granger would be his wife willingly, without the help of any extra powers. His ego would also prefer this alternative and so that was what he was going to do.

He knew that even with the best of circumstances, it would be an up hill battle at best. Their was her mother, Harry and Ron, the problems at school with their houses and most of all, Hermione's own attitude towards relationships.

"Ah, there you are." Narcissa said with a smile when she swept into the room. She pushed aside his legs on the couch and sat next to him.

"Did you need anything?"

"Yes. I wanted to tell you that I was about to cancel a reservation at Luna Noir. They are so hard to get, but Molly has invited me to a knitting circle tonight and I would like to attend. I thought that it would be a nice place to take a certain young lady." She said with a smile.

"Mother, I never know you were so brilliant. I'll go find Hermione and tell her." Draco said with a smile, kissing her hand as he rose.

"No dear, you ask her if she would accompany you. And try to be pleasant and casual about it. The less pressure the better."

Draco nodded as he walked out the room. He stood still, eyes closed and tried to sense where she was exactly in the house. When he felt her still in the kitchens, he hurried downstairs, not wanting to be interrupted by anyone on the way.

When he reached the arch into the kitchen, he smiled as he heard Hermione in an apparently heated debate with her father over Shakespeare. He smiled as he saw her flashed face and her arms flying everywhere to help her make her point.

He cleared his throat and walked into the room. "Hermione, may I have a word with you?" He asked after he'd been acknowledged.

"Sure." Hermione said with a smile and stood up and walked over to her friend.

"Well, I have a reservation for a nice restaurant and since someone lost a bet, I think that dinning with me tonight should be a nice payback."

"Why you sneaky little Slytherin! You had that planed all along, didn't you?" Hermione said with a mock angry voice.

"Not really. Mother had a change of plans so she offered me the spot. I would really like it if you would accompany me."

"Ok, sure. Just tell me when I should be ready."

"At seven. And it is fancy robe, so you should start getting ready soon." He replied with a smirk. Out of impulse, he bent down and gave her a quick peck, right between her earlobe and neck, relishing the second of contact. He quickly pulled back before his instincts took over and he did something rash. He turned on his heel and headed towards his room.

Hermione just stood there, dazed and leaning against the wall. The lightheaded feeling returned, hitting her full force and the world spun around her. She felt her body burn and Draco's lips still on her skin.

That's how Pansy and Ginny found her a few minutes later, staring blankly at the wall. "Are you alright?" Ginny asked, holding a palm to Hermione's red forehead.

"I think I've just agreed to a date." She said as if in a daze.

"Really?!" Pansy exclaimed, clapping her hands. "Oh, I just knew this would happen! I mean, poor Draco has positively been simpering for you for months. Oh we need to get you ready. Where are you two going?" She asked all in one breath.

"I don't know. it's a restaurant and I'm supposed to dress up."

Pansy groaned at this. Draco's sense of 'dressed up' was very formal robes, the type she doubted Hermione had. "Gin, go and start the makeup and hair. I'll try to figure out what she's going to wear." Pansy said as she turned away from them.

She walked up the stairs and knocked on Narcissa's door, coming in and finding the woman looking through her large wardrobe. "I expect you're here to find something for Hermione?" The woman asked without turning around.

"Why, dear Aunt Narcissa, you're matchmaking skills are positively verging on making you a seer." Pansy said with a smirk.

"Yes, well I do want grandchildren sometime in the very near future. I'm just trying to speed up the process. Now, I am not too sure that green would look too good on her. What do you suggest?"

"White and some red. Lets just get Draco's mind on what he is supposed to say." Pansy said, moving next to the older woman and beginning to look trough the selection.

Ginny was trying to pile Hermione's hair into a nice bun when the door suddenly opened. She narrowed her eyes when she felt Hermione stiffen and a look of fear passed her eyes when she saw her mother walk in.

"I'd like a word with my daughter, if you don't mind." She said with a cold tone.

"I actually do mind. We're rather busy at the moment as you can see."

"Gin, I'll call for you." Hermione said, standing and grabbing her younger friends' arm.

Ginny saw the pleading look in her eyes and nodded. "I'll be right across the hall." With one more glare at Jane, she walked out.

"I don't even want to think about the filth that you're surrounding yourself with." She said viciously. "What do you think you are doing?"

"I'm getting ready to go out." Hermione said, gathering up her courage and getting ready to defend her friends.

"What?"

"Draco has asked me to go to dinner with him and I have accepted." Hermione replied, her voice a little more then a whisper at the last three words.

Jane's face paled at those words and said sank down heavily on the nearest chair. "No. not that Malfoy boy." She said softly.

"Mother, please don't make this more then it is. It's just dinner with a friend. Nothing more."

"No, it's starting. Just look at you: wasting your time with all the stupid things that others do. This will be your ruin. You'll be known as the ugly Malfoy whore. The future that I worked so hard to give you will be all gone."

"Mum, please don't say that." Hermione said, kneeling down in front of the older woman.

"Look at you Hermione. now I love you, but at best I could only call you plain. The only use that a man like Draco Malfoy, or any other man for that matter, would have for you is to humiliate you and joke about with his friends."

"I'm sorry mum, but I promised Draco that I would go with him."

"Than don't come to me when he destroys you. I thought you were smart, Hermione. I would have never thought that I would be so disappointed in you."

With that said, Jane stood and walked out of the room, smiling to herself when she heard Hermione's soft sob.

Draco finished laying out his dress robes when Harry and Ron came into their bedroom.

"Are you going somewhere?" Ron asked, grabbing a chocolate frog from Harry's trunk.

"Yes, actually. I've asked Hermione to accompany me to dinner tonight."

"What? Why did you do that?" Harry asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Listen, guys. I guess I should tell you that I plan on pursing a relationship with her. A romantic one." He stated, forcing a calm exterior so that they could see his nerves.

Draco could clearly see all the emotions across Ron's face, but Harry's was a little harder to read.

"You cant! She's like a sister to us!" Ron blurted out with his fists closed and his face matching his hair, getting ready to charge towards the blonde.

"No, she is like a sister to the two of you."

Ron began walking towards Draco but Harry caught him around the arm and held him back.

"You hurt her Malfoy and I'll kill you. Voldermort would look like a saint with I'm don't with you. I mean it." Harry said, his tone indicating how serious he was.

"I wouldn't expect anything less." Draco said with a curt nod.

"But you two hated each other!" Ron blurted out loudly.

"And we didn't exactly get on famously at first and now look at us. And besides, you used to think that Pansy was the Slytherin whore."

At that, Ron just closed his mouth.

"You both must trust me. Hermione is mine. She must be with me and as soon as I make thinks clear with her, I'll tell you two what's going on. I would never her hurt willingly." Draco said passionately.

"Are you willing to swear an oath to us?" Harry asked, letting go of Ron.

"I would have thought that my word and our friendship would be enough." Draco replied with a raised eyebrow.

"It will do for now, but just remember that I will be paying attention. I'm not totally comfortable with this." Harry said.

They stared at each other for a few minutes, seeming to come to and agreement. "Good. Now sod off, I have to look my best." He said with a smirk. He mentally let out a breath when the two other laughed and left the room.

Ginny found Hermione still on the floor in front of the chair that Jane had used. Are you ok, 'Mione?" She asked softly, sitting on the floor next to her friend.

"Yeah, I just have a headache. Can you please go tell Draco that I'm not well and that I'll go out another night?"

"I don't think so. I'll get you a pepper up potion and you'll be as good as new. As if I would let you bail out from a date with one of the hottest guys in school." Ginny said seriously.

"Look at me, Gin! I'm not exactly dating material!" Hermione yelled, gesturing wildly at herself.

"Oh bloody hell! I am so tired of this! Draco has been dropping hints that he likes you for months. Now, you are going to get dressed, fixed up and going out with Draco." Ginny said firmly, pulling the older girl up with her.

Pansy walked in as they were sitting down at the pine vanity, holding up the borrowed dress. "Ok, well I say that we should get the dress on and alter it and then do her hair and make up. That way we don't have to worry about it later." Pansy said, walking up to them.

The two girls go Hermione dressed and Ginny performed the alteration spells to make the dress smaller around the waist and the right length. Hermione was dizzy after about five minutes of being spun around and yanked this way and that.

Two hours later, Pansy and Ginny were finally done. Hermione had quit protesting there attentions a while ago and had been forbidden to look at her reflection, so she had just settled down and read her ancient ruins book that she had borrowed at the beginning of the summer from Draco.

Pansy turned Hermione's settee with a 'tada' and Hermione's mind went blank. She had her hair cascading down from a simple bun, her curls slightly wild but shining. Her eyes were shimmering with some white eye shadow that made them look almost honey colored and her lips were the same red as the sash across her waist. Her nails and toes were French manicured and her skin seemed to glow from a powder that Pansy had brushed over her body.

"Well, what do you think?" Pansy asked excitedly.

"I cant believe it." Hermione said, still not thinking that this was really her.

"I swear, we should open a business. Like a day spa or something." Pansy said, running a brush over her blonde hair. "I don't think that I want to be a blond anymore. What do you think guys think?" She asked, studying her reflection.

"I say you go natural again. That potion is always a hassle to make." Ginny said, fussing over Hermione's curls.

Just then, a little paper butterfly came into the room, landing softly on Hermione's lap. She raised her eyebrow and unfolded the delicate parchment. She unconsciously smiled when she saw Draco's neat script on the paper and read out loud:

"Mione,  
Thank you for the extreme pleasure of having you as my date. I'm starting to regret almost that I have made our meeting time so late, I cant wait to see you. I promise that you will not regret the decision to accompany me. I be waiting for you in the foyer in three quarters of an hour. Yours, D."

"Wow, he's really going out of his way for you. I've never seen Draco make such a nice gesture towards a date." Pansy stated, peeking over Hermione's shoulder.

"My my, isn't this the cute little girl party." Katharina said, coming into the room without knocking. "I must say that I feel rather disappointed that I wasn't invited to this gathering. I mean, I look rather young, and want to get to know you all." She said, perching herself on the arm of a couch.

"Yes, the only problem is that this is between friends and we don't need any new ones. Now, if you'll excuse us, we are rather busy." Ginny said, standing in front of Hermione's chair, Pansy doing the same on her right.

"I see. Well, that's alright. Granger, I just wanted to tell you that I need Draco back here before midnight tonight. We have things to do." She said with a smirk, standing and leaving the room.

"I really loath that woman." Pansy huffed.

"I do hope that you are not talking about me and instead of Katharina." Narcissa said with a smile as she walked into the room, carrying two boxes. "I just saw her in the hall and am quite please to say that she looked upset over something."

"Yes, she came in here to bother us for a bit." Pansy said, moving away from her friends.

"Oh, Hermione dear! You look stunning!" Narcissa exclaimed, walking over to the young girl that was still seated and holding both of her hands in her own. "Beautiful, dear. Just beautiful. But I do think that you have forgotten something."

"What? I mean, look at her! We're done." Pansy gestured, looking questioning at Narcissa.

"I'm almost certain that the restaurant requires shoes." Narcissa said with a sly smile and handing over a shoe box.

"Oh, thank you." Hermione said softly, a blushing creeping up her cheeks. She took out one and frowned when she saw the 3 inch heel and pointed toe of the shimmery shoe. "Um, I'm sorry, but a cant wear this. I've never really worn heels before. The last time I did was at a friends wedding and I had tripped about five times in half an hour. I winded up having to take them off because they hurt so much.

"Dear, this was made by Gucci, wizard-not muggle. They have charms and such that so that you wont really feel them. Quite brilliant really." She answered, mentioning to Hermione for her to put them on.

Hermione did so, watching them shrink a bit and was amazed when she really did not feel them like she thought. She stood and they still felt as is she were wearing house slippers.

"And I also brought a little something else. You are going to be stared at and photographed tonight and this place is full of women that are wearing their best and most terrific jewelry. Well, they'll all know this little set and you'll be the talk of the crowd." Narcissa said, opening the second box that she still held.

Inside the black velvet, sat three pieces that took Hermione's breathe away. Their in the middle of the box sat a four strand pearl necklace, with blood rubies in between each pearl. The clasp was encrusted with rubies and diamonds to form a three inch dragon. Next to the necklace was a bracelet like the bracelet but with a simple clasp. A ring was on the other side of the necklace and had a large ruby surrounded tiny seed pearls.

"The Black pearls. They were part of my trousseau when I got married. They will be instantly recognizable."

"But I don't want to be noticed." Hermione said shyly to the older woman.

"Darling, you are going be noticed tonight simply because you are with my son. So you might as well look smashing while doing this." Narcissa said as she took the pieces out and began putting them on the nervous girl.

"There, perfect. Just remember: Head up, calm demeanor and let Draco lead." She said with a small squeeze of her shoulder.

Draco smiled as the parchment butterfly flew out the door and down the hall, putting away his quill and wand. He thought that a girl like Hermione would appreciate the gesture and he desperately wanted her to see past the vampire factor and just see the wizard.

But he was prepared in the occasion of that failing. After all, he had his gifts and magic on his side.

"Come in." He called out at the knock on the door.

"My, don't you look dashing tonight." Katharina said with a smile as she walked up to him.

"I'm going out with Hermione tonight." He replied, straightening his tie.

"Oh." She said, her face instantly dropping.

"Is there a problem?" He said, turning to face her with a raised eyebrow.

"Of course not. I just thought that we were going to do some training tonight. I know that you want to feed before you train with your friends and Dumbledore tomorrow."

"With what I have planned tonight, hopefully I wont need to feed from anyone else."

"You're taking her tonight? So soon?"

"I might. I have a plan in my head but I have to test her out first. Either way, I need some new blood."

"That wounds me, Draco."

"Yes, well it's true. You're blood is nourishing, but so is liver and vegetables. Hermione would be like Honeydukes and I plan on having her very soon. If she doesn't want me then I'll just register my claim to her at the ministry and she'll have no choice but to be with me."

"Fine, I guess my work here is done. You can have the little kid and learn about your gifts by yourself." She said angrily standing to leaving the room.

Before she even finished taking a step, Draco bared his fangs and had her pinned under him to the floor. "I think not. Hermione is my top priority right now. She's my mate and she belongs to me, you know that. There's too much left for you to teach me about these new powers for you to get all pissed at me so calm down and remember your place and just who you're dealing with." He said with venom.

The woman nodded slowly getting up when he stood. "Forgive me, my Lord. I have a personal interest in your future and was just looking out for you. When you are ready, I will resume the training. Have a good night." With that said, she quickly left the room.

Draco decided to deal with her later and picked up the same gardenia that he had a house elf from the manor bring over when he saw Hermione admire them when they went to the manor. With one last look at his reflection, he left the room to wait for his date downstairs.

When he got down to the main floor, he saw Hermione's father sitting and reading a muggle newspaper. "Good evening, sir." Draco said politely. Hermione had spoken very highly of her father, so he had a good reason to be on friendly terms with the man.

"Ah, evening Mr. Malfoy. You look dashing, if I may say so." Richard said with a smile, offering a seat to the blond.

"Thank you sir. I am taking Hermione out to dinner at a restaurant that serves marvelous French cuisine."

"Is this a date?" Richard asked, folding and putting the paper in his lap.

"How do would you feel if it were?"

"Well, first I would feel that it was about time. Then I would have the sudden urge to want to threaten you with severe bodily harm if you hurt her."

"Rest assured that Harry and Ron have already given me that talk." Draco said with a smile, trying to get the man to warm up.

"Good lads, they are then. So, you seem like an alright chap, I assume you'll bring her back at a decent hour and just like I left her."

"Of course, sir. We'll come straight here when we're through at the restaurant." Draco promised.

Just then, Richard looked up towards the stairs and sighed. Draco turned around and he felt the all the blood in his body standing still. He had always admired Hermione's looks, even when they were enemies if he really thought about it, but he had never imagined her as beautiful as he saw her now. His stomach flipped when her eyes caught his and she gave him a shy but bright smile.

He stood when she began going down the stairs towards them. He couldn't tear his eyes off her as she drew closer and he could swear that his heart was going to come out of his chest. His fingers almost crushed the small white flower in his hand when made it to the base of the stairs and saw the full effect of her whole look.

"You look so beautiful." He whispered when she stood in front of him.

She blushed at his words, ducking her face to look at the floor.

"You look perfect, poppet. Truly." Richard said to his daughter.

"Thanks, daddy." She answered softly.

"Well, I think you two kids should leave now so that you wont come back too late. Hermione, we'll have breakfast together, just you and I before your mother and I leave tomorrow." With that, he left and the two teens were left alone.

"Oh, here. I got this for you." He said, holding out the flower towards her.  
"Oh, thank you! How lovely." She said with a more relaxed smile and smelling the gardenia.

"Hold on." He said, taking it from her and slipping it through one of the curls ion her bun. "There, lovely." He said with a smile and a kiss on her hand.

Hermione looked up when she heard a noise from upstairs. "Um, should we get going?" She asked, fearing that it might be her mother.

"Of course." He replied, holding out his arms and walking out the house.

Hermione let out the breath that she had been holding when Draco took out the reservations, which were their port keys and they landed. She looked around and saw dozens of couples waiting in a long line and saw a few of them looking towards Draco and herself. She stiffened and moved even closer to him when she heard reporters rushing foreword with their cameras flashing and yelling out for Draco to introduce her.

Draco ignored them and took Hermione's hand firmly in his, leading her to the front door of the restaurant.

"Lord Malfoy, sir. It is a pleasure to have you hear." The door man said excitedly, not even bothering to check their reservations.

Draco nodded to the man and they were let in, almost immediately drawing stares from the others dinning. "Are you alright? I wasn't expecting reporters outside until we were ready to leave. You handled that perfectly." Draco said softly, leaning down to speak closer into her ear.

Hermione's head spun when she felt Draco's breath across her ear. She desperately tried to remember all the things the Ginny, Pansy and Narcissa had told her to do during the evening. She smiled up at Draco as he let go of her trembling hand and placed it gently on the small of her back.

They were led to a private room with a nice view of the outdoor gardens. The table was set for them with powder blue and silver roses and candles gently floating over the table. "Merlin, it's lovely." Hermione said gently.

"We are of course pleased that the room meets your approval, Madame." The man said with a curt nod.

"Yes, it's adequate." draco said, walking over to the table and holding the chair out for Hermione.

"Well sir, your server will be in shortly. I hope you enjoy yourselves this evening." With that, the man left, closing the door softly behind him.

Draco was about to speak when their waiter came in. "Good evening, Lord Malfoy. Madame." He said respectfully.

"Sir, I took the liberty of separating our best Bordeaux, aged over 40 years and an excellent partner with most of the main dishes that we are serving tonight." The waiter explained, pouring a tasting for draco to try.

"Its fine." Draco said after taking a sip, nodding his approval.

"Very well, I shall leave to pursue our selection. Just close the menus when you are ready to order and I'll be with you." With a curt nod, he left them alone.

"Um, draco? Why are there no prices on the menu?" Hermione asked after taking a quick look at the menu

"These types of places usually don't list things like that. Its considered rather tawdry." Draco answered. "Just don't think of it. If you need help translating the French, just tell me."

"I can speak French quite well, thank you." She replied, raising her head a bit.

"See? That's what I want to hear. I want to know you, everything about you." Draco said, reaching over and grabbing her small hand in his.

"Why, Draco? I mean, what exactly is the purpose of all this?" She asked, looking directly at him, hoping to keep the spinning and butterflies in her stomach at bay.

"If you indulge me, all your questions will be answered by the end of the night." Draco said, interlacing their fingers together.

After that, something in his in his eyes and voice made Hermione relax and they began conversing about everything: politics, books, magical practices, poetry. Every subject they could think of was brought up and discussed, with much good hearted debate and laughter.

Before they realized it, it was time to order dessert. The new menus were brought out and again the waiter left. "Draco, do you think that we can eat outside?" Hermione asked, looking towards the balcony.

"Of course." He answered with a smile and stood to help her up and leaving his hand at the small of her back again. They stepped out and sat down at the small table that was there, waiting for their sweets to arrive.

"Hermione, what do you feel for me?" Draco asked, taking both of her hands into his and looking directly into her eyes. He watched her eyes widen and she opened her mouth a few times as if to say something but then closed it. "The truth, 'Mione. I just want to know the truth." He said softly, caressing her cheek.

She just looked up at the moon, and after a few minutes, a blush crept up again, and she looked down at their joined hands. "I don't know, Draco. I truly don't know. I've never felt this way before and I'm completely confused." She said softly.

"Hermione, are any of those feelings romantic." He asked gently, turning her face to his. At that, she blushed even deeper.

"I'm not supposed to feel like this." She whispered.

"Why not? Be here with me, Hermione. Ignore the other people for just this once and think about what your heart is saying. When you look at me, what do you feel?" He asked passionately.

"Like I'm about to fall and I don't really mind. My heart and stomach go off doing flips and the world just keeps on spinning like mad." She said with her eyes closed.

"Then trust that. When you feel that you don't know what exactly it is that you feel for me, just think of that feeling." He said, moving closer and pressing his forehead against hers, closing his eyes and getting ready to through himself through the gauntlet; "Because I feel the exact same way. You consume my every thought, my every feeling. I need you more then I need air and blood, you hold my very soul in your hands and I am happy to have it there." He said in a whisper. He heard her gasp and new that it was now or never. "I love you, Hermione. I've loved you for months and I cant bear it anymore without knowing if you love me to." He said, moving to embrace her when he felt her body shaking, placing small kisses over her collar bone.

AN: A cliffe, aren't I evil?! The story is going to be moving along much faster now. Hate it or love it? Reviews/comments will be extremely appreciated. I promise that the next chapter will be posted soon. Reviews make me upload the chapters faster! (Blame the hormones-that's my new excuse for everything!)


	17. Chapter 17

Hermione's world hadn't stopped spinning since she first saw draco at the bottom of the stairs at Grimuald Place. When he had first touched her back, she could swear that the little pleasant currents of electricity were from a spell that he must have cast on her.

All throughout dinner, she had expected him to say something wrong, do something rude, or just even a wrong look to prove her mother right, but nothing ruined the atmosphere. She found that he could speak knowledgably of just about anything, including muggle things, mostly literature. After so many years of Harry and Ron being her male companionship, it felt exhilarating having someone to discuss philosophy and advanced magic's.

Every time that he smiled at her, the world would spin in another direction. After the entrees, Hermione had given up over analyzing everything and tried to just go with her instincts. After that, the whole world became focused on Draco, and she didn't mind one bit.

When they went to the patio, Hermione felt a certain shift in the air, like a new urgency had come up when they sat next to each other. Her heart was racing and her stomach was warm from the wine and the butterflies. She automatically snuggled closer to Draco when he put his arms around her shoulders. "Tell me a secret; something that no one else knows." She said softly, inhaling his scent, a strange combination of vanilla, sandalwood and something else that she couldn't quite place.

"Ok. Well, I never wanted to be the Malfoy heir." He said, just as softly. "I wanted to have a normal life, a wife that I chose and have a house full of kids. I always was so lonely when I was growing up I would have never had that for my own child."

"Draco, I hope you have all you deserve it. You're a good person under all that bad ass attitude." Hermione said, looking down at their intertwined fingers. They spoke in hushed tones for a few minutes when Draco grew silent, his body language changing.

"Do you really believe that? I thought you'd been frightened of me when you learned that I was a vampire."

"No, it's just part of who you are, not the whole person. I mean, we've been together tonight for hours, and I've never felt more comfortable with someone ever."

Hermione relaxed once again, not knowing the bombshell that he was about to drop. She looked right into his eyes while he said the words that would turn her world inside out. As she listened to Draco apparently declare his feelings for her, she only listened to half of his words, to confused as to what she was supposed to do.

All of a sudden Hermione thought of her mother. The very image in her mind made her try to pull away from the blond, but it just served to make him pull her closer. Her heart felt like it was about to come out of her chest and tears began to gather in her eyes.

"Please Hermione. I need to know how you feel about me." Draco whispered in her ear.

"I cant."

"Just tell me, please. I know how you feel, but I need to hear it." Draco said desperately, holding her closer.

"I cant, Draco. I cant have feelings for anyone. I'm so sorry." Hermione whispered back.

"Hermione, look at me." Draco said, lifting her by the chin to look into his eyes. "It's just us, Hermione. You and me here. Forget Harry and Ron, your parents, never mind the world. You and I are the only ones that count right now. Tell me, Hermione. Please just tell me the you feel the same way for me."

"I cant forget everything, Draco. Can we please just go." Hermione said, turning away from him, wiping the tears running down her cheeks.

"No. You know that we belong together. It just fits, we're perfect for each other. Look at right in my eyes and tell me you don't feel the same." Draco said, kneeling down and holding her face so that she would have no choice but to do as she was told.

"Draco, I cant be involved with someone. Not you, or anyone else. Its just not possible."

"Yes it is. We belong together. You're meant to be mine. No one else can take that away."

"Yes they can." Hermione whispered, thinking of her mother and what she would say.

"No they cant, not if you fight for it. I've always heard how strong and brave you were, how stubborn and daring. I don't know how you refuse to fight for this."

"I wont just be a notch on your bedpost, Draco. I refuse to be taken for a fool. Lets just ignore this and pretend it never happened. I am not a person that you can just play your little mind games with." Hermione said, standing up.

"If that's what you think this is, then you don't know me at all." Draco said, turning from her.

"Draco, please don't be upset. You must understand that-"

"No. I refuse to except this. Harry and Ron already know that I'm interested in you. Even your father now knows. This is all about your mother. Tell me this, Hermione- while you're doing everything she orders, and wind up alone when she's gone, will you think its worth it? Living your life for someone who is beneath you on so many levels, just to wind up without someone to share it with."

When he said that, Hermione just dropped back onto the couch. She felt as if she was just about to pass out and would really welcome it right about now. She didn't really mean to tell him the truth, that she would trust him enough to let go and just fall, but she did, and the feeling of his lips pressed against her skin just felt so perfect that she couldn't even lie to herself.

"Please, Hermione. Trust this, we'll be so happy together. I'll give you the world, anything and everything you ever even dreamed of will be yours." Draco said, practically pulling the small girl onto his lap.

Hermione was silent. It seemed as if her very soul was battling itself and as she thought, Jane's voice kept on getting quieter and quieter inside her mind. She looked up to his eyes and something just clicked. The spinning and dizziness lessened, the pain in her heart was gone and she new that for once, she could trust a man with her very self and that he would not break it. She didn't know why, but she did trust it, trusted Draco.

"I don't want everything. I just don't want to be hurt. I'm just so scared." Hermione whispered, finally letting herself melt into his arms.

Draco couldn't believe it. For a few minutes, he was worried that he would be forced to take her blood in order to make her see that they needed each other. He couldn't even begin to tell her how much he loved her so instead, he just kissed her.

He wanted to prove that she would be let down by her decision. He felt his fangs start to tingle when he heard a tiny moan come from her. It took all his will power and control to not bite down, knowing that he would need to go slow, for herself and for him. He needed to know that he could win her with who he was, not because he could just stake his claim as his mate.

He reluctantly pulled away, running his hands over her arms and leaning his forehead against hers. "I think we should go home. I promised your father we would get back at a decent hour and its already passed midnight." Draco said softly, not wanting to ruin the atmosphere around them.

With a few more kisses, they finally managed to apparate back to headquarters, Draco giving her one more kiss before they entered the house. He walked her to her door, giving her one final kiss and embrace, and walked down the hall and up the stairs to his own room.

Hermione just smiled, beaming when she saw Draco look back with a cute smirk and a wink. She was just about to turn and head into the room when she saw something out of the corner of her eyes that made the blood run cold in her veins.

"You stupid little whore." Jane Granger said, with a steel look in her eyes from her bedroom door as she made her way over to her daughter.

AN: Hi y'all. I know this chapter is short, but I just had to post something as a thank you for all the reviews, it makes me amazed. Next chapter will be posted by Friday, so thanks a mill again!


	18. Chapter 18

Draco as still reeling from the successful night. He couldn't get the smile off his face, 'very unMalfoyish' his mind kept on repeating, which made his smile even wider. As he walked to his room, he couldn't get that last smile that Hermione had given him before he was out of sight off his mind. He stopped at his bedroom door, when he had the idea of sneaking back into the girls room to get another goodnight embrace, maybe even another kiss.

With a smile still on his face, he turned around, wanting to hurry back to his mate before she went to bed.

Hermione struggled to take back her wrist from her mother as she was dragged roughly into another room down the hall.

"What the devil do you think you're doing? Have you completely lost what little brain you had?" Jane whispered sadistically, pushing the smaller girl against the wall. She began to pace, clenching and unclenching her hands. "Out of all the stupid things you've done, this is by far a new low." She said, smiling inwardly when she saw Hermione tremble from her words. "I've had enough of this nonsense. Tomorrow, you'll be coming home with us. I'll talk to that headmaster about getting you tuition back and you'll learn the hard way what happens when you don't listen to me."

"No. I cant leave school now." Hermione answered.

"What did you say?" Jane asked, leaning down closer.

"Harry and Ron need me. I'm staying." Hermione said, hoping that she sounded firm.

Jane gave a slight twitch of her head and smacked Hermione with such force that the girl had to hold her arms out to keep from falling. "You're coming with me. If you think that I'm going to just let you whore yourself around with those boys, you're even dumber then what I thought."

Draco opened the girls bedroom door, frowning when he saw what must have been Hermione's bed empty and the bathroom light off. He closed the door, he ears perking up when he heard a noise a few doors down. He walked over and slowly opened the door. The scene that greeted him instantly got him into attack mode.

His fingernails bled from the speed from which his claws came out, his fangs cut into his snarling lower lips as they grew. The sound of the slap triggered a blood lust like he had never known and when he saw the older woman raise her hand again he acted the only way he could.

All the warning that the two women had was a low growl, half a second before Draco attacked. He grabbed Jane's hand right before she landed the blow, smirking when he heard the bone snap.

She opened her mouth to cry out but was thrown hard across the room, landing with a thud. Draco just smiled, his blood red eyes checking on Hermione for a quick second before going back over to Jane.

Hermione watched the scene with a strange as Draco pulled her semiconscious mother up by her neck, the older woman's eyes widening as she clawed and punched Draco, her face going blue in the process.

Pansy and Ginny rushed into the room, both coming to a sudden stop take in what was going on. They both ran over to Hermione, helping her stand up. Pansy walked carefully over to Draco, who was now very close to killing the older woman.

"Hermione, you need to call Draco. I read about this before, he'll only listen to you now." Pansy said with fear in her voice, taking her wand out of her robe pocket and aiming it towards Draco and Jane with a shaking hand.

"But he's protecting me." Hermione said as if in a daze, sounding very much like Luna Lovegood.

"'Mione, you're both not thinking very clearly. Call to Draco, now." Ginny said, taking her wand out like Pansy.

Hermione waited a few more seconds and finally went over to Draco. Somehow, she knew what she had to do. With one last look at her struggling mother, she slowly wrapped her arms around Draco's waist, rubbing her cheeks against his back.

"Pansy said you should put her down, Draco." Hermione said softly, coming around to face him. She tilted her head, exposing her neck.

With that, Draco blinked, a bit of his normal blue-gray eye color coming back, making the red stand out even more. With one more growl, he threw the woman across the room again, turning fully to embrace Hermione. She clung to him, letting him turn her this way and that. After staring at each other for a few moments, he wrapped an arm around her waist and began to leave the room.

"Wait! Draco, you cant claim her yet. Leave her with us." Pansy said quickly before they left. "Quick, run to Narcissa." Pansy whispered to Ginny out of the corner of her mouth. She kept her eyes on Draco's back, watching Ginny rush out o the room.

"Draco, I know you're in there somewhere. The both of you need to calm down and think clearly. Draco, if you take Hermione now, she'll regret it tomorrow." She said, desperate for Narcissa to come, trying to think of a spell just in case she didn't make it on time. She watched when Draco he drew the small girl to him, hunching over a bit as if to surround her body. She distantly heard a few whimpers from the far corner of the room, but thought that whatever the woman had done, she probably deserved it for getting Draco up in such a state.

Finally Narcissa ran into the room with Ginny behind her. "What's happened?" She asked, trying to catch her breath. She kept eye contact on her son as Pansy gave her a quick recap of what they knew.

"Darling, she's safe now. You made her safe and protected her, which is your right to, but now she needs to go to bed." Narcissa said calmly.

Draco just growled, holding Hermione even closer, tucking her head under his chin and shielding her face from everyone.

"Draco, she's not ready yet. Remember what you told me, that you wanted her to fall in love with you, not have her taken. Draco, just think about this." She said calmly, pointing her arm out.

Draco growled low in his throat, showing his fangs to his mother, telling her to back off.

Narcissa stepped back, and when the couple passed, sparks flew out of her wand, not noticed by her son. "Don't worry, you two. That was just a chastity spell. Nothing will happen tonight, but I would suggest you sleep in another room, Draco will need to be alone with Hermione for a while."

Draco and Hermione silently entered her bedroom, and slowly climbed into her bed. Draco took off his robes and shirt, getting under the covers with the girl. He pulled the blanket over there heads, enveloping them completely. He reached out and pulled her to him, intertwining there limbs and getting them as close as possible.

He kissed her gently, not out of passion, but out of a need for her to know that he was with her, and nuzzling her neck, licking her cheek where there was a small bleeding scratch.

He growled again, pulling her even closer. It crossed his mind for a quick second that she might be uncomfortable, but dismissed it when she started drawing little patterns on his back with her fingernails.

Slowly, she drifted off to sleep, knowing that Draco would be there to protect her through the night and that he would be there in the morning. Her breathing evened out and she finally dozed off after Draco gave her another soft kiss.

Draco just stayed awake, holding her through the night, slowly returning to normal, his temper finally in control. As his mate slept in his arms, he began planning out the demise of Mrs. Jane Granger.

AN: Ok, peeps! Thank you all so much for the reviews. I'm like floored by the reponse! Next chapter is the morning after, Narcissa's mate revealed and what exactly is Draco going to do? (Trust me, it's wicked.) again, 10 reviews new chappie. See ya!


	19. Chapter 19

Draco stayed up during the hole night, thanking that he could now see so clearly in the darkness. He just stared at Hermione the rest of the night, trying to memorize every detail. He tuned out his rage whenever she started murmuring about her mother or making whimpering noises, stroking her hair and placing soft kisses along her hairline and cheek bones until she quieted down again.

He loved the way that she naturally fitted into his body, her small stature and size making her perfect to mold as close as possible to him. His fangs had been itching ever since they had first laid in the bed together, but he chose to ignore his instincts and now it was more like a dull ache.

As the sun began to rise and the rays reached the bed, he felt the heat a bit stronger then normal and new that he would have to feed soon. He wanted to sit up and pull the drapes closed when he started to feel the heat even through the blankets, but Hermione started to stir and he wanted his face to be the first thing that she saw in the morning.

After moving around for a few minutes, Hermione finally opened her eyes, blinking them a few times to make sure that what she saw was really there. At first, she knew that she felt sage. She was warm, Draco was there smiling at her and protecting her.

She smiled back at him and laid snuggled closer to him. She laid there for a few minutes, just focusing on the feeling of Draco's finger making little designs on her back. She brought her hand up to move some hair back when she saw that she was still wearing the jewelry that she had borrowed from Narcissa. "Oh no! I hope I didn't ruin these!" She exclaimed, sitting up and checking the bracelet.

When she looked down at Draco, still laying there with a smile and no shirt on her bed, it all hit her. She started hyperventilating when she remembered what had happened to her mother. She was pale and shaking when she began to leave the bed, mumbling a string of 'no's' under her breath.

Draco quickly kneeled up, grabbing her shoulders to keep her near. He wrapped an arm around her waist and hooked a finger under her chin when she refused to face him. "Listen, you did nothing wrong."

"I have to go. I shouldn't even be here." She said, her voice trembling.

"No, you listen to me. We belong together. You're mine now; you'll do what I say and let me worry about everything. I'll deal with your mother."

"No, Draco. She's going to murder me with what you've done! I have to go apologize right now." She said, making to get out the bed again.

"Hermione, look at me. I will fix this. Just listen and trust me. You need to relax." Draco said, calmly but with no room to argue. He pulled her under him and they both laid down. "You're mine now, Hermione. You won't have to worry about anything for the rest of your life. I'll do anything and everything for you, but now you must listen to me."  
"Draco, I cant, I-"

"Listen to your instincts, Hermione. Let me do this." Draco said, looking deeply into her eyes.

"You're sadly mistaken if you think you're going to boss me around and that I'll just follow your lead like all your other little whores from Hogwarts." Hermione said, turning to get out from under him.

"That's exactly what I do expect right now. I'll not have you fight me on this, Hermione." Draco replied. He saw the fight come back in her eyes some and he leaned down and kissed her, holding her down gently when she began to struggle a bit. "You're mine now, Hermione. You don't have to fight me on this, just let me help you." He said softly when they parted.

Hermione's mind went blank from the intense kiss and she had a very hard time focusing on what was going on after it. She felt the same lightheadedness from before and she couldn't find the words she wanted.

"Now, I'm going to go and get you something to eat. Do not leave this room, I don't know who's awake wait." With a quick kiss on her forehead, he stood from the bed and put on his robe again.

He cast a strong locking charm on the door, he walked down the hall and made his way over to the kitchens.

"Shouldn't we do something with her?" Narcissa asked, pointing to the woman on the floor that was still morning.

"I say we let her hopefully bleed to death." Ginny replied.

"Miss Weasley, please do remember that you are a lady and should act accordingly."

"Fine. I think I know the healing spell for bones." She said to Narcissa, turning and giving Ginny a smirk.

She walked over to Jane, turning the older woman roughly on her back, ignoring the painful moan. She tried to remember what spell Professor Lockhart had cast when he vanished Harry's bones.

She mumbled the spell so that Narcissa wouldn't hear and smiled to herself when she saw the arm almost puddle on the floor. "Oops." She said standing up.

"Oh dear." Narcissa said, walking over. "Well, I'm terrible with healing charms. I guess we'll have to wait until the morning to call on Madame Pomfrey. Mrs. Granger, I'm going to cast a spell to make you sleep. You may or not feel any pain, but at least you'll let the rest of the house sleep." Narcissa said coldly. "Don't worry about your daughter, my son is spending the night with her, so she wont be bothered by anyone." Narcissa said with a sly smile before she waved her wand over the woman, watching her close her eyes.

"Ladies, I say we lock and silence the room, just in case the spell doesn't hold up." Narcissa said, leading the two teens out of the room, casting the necessary charms behind her.

"I suggest you two find other rooms for tonight. Draco wont let anyone close to Hermione for a few more hours."

"Will she be alright? I mean, she wasn't really herself back in there." Ginny asked before Narcissa left.

"Yes. When under extreme conditions, her baser self takes over and she goes purely on instincts. don't worry, Draco will not claim her, him clings to his humanity still." With that Narcissa left.

"Well, I know of some extra room in two very comfortable beds." Pansy said with a smirk.

The two girls made their way over to where the boys all shared a room and entered as quietly as they could. They waved to each other from the opposite sides of the room when they reached the boys' beds.

Ginny crept into Harry's bed, closing the drapes again. She got under the covers and wrapped an arm around his waist. "Shh, shh." She whispered when he woke with a start.

"Merlin, Ginny. What are you doing here?" He asked, his voice husky from sleep.

"There was a little problem, so our rooms are busy. I didn't think you'd mind if I bunked with you tonight." Ginny said coyly, throwing her leg across his.

Harry took a deep breath to calm himself and pulled Ginny closer. "You shouldn't do that. I could have hexed you, just now." Harry said with his lips against her temple.

"You wouldn't. you knew it was me even from down the hall." Ginny said, rubbing their noses together.

Harry leaned down and kissed her, slowly at first, then passionately when she began playing with the hairs on the back of his neck. He pulled away and cast a quick silencio around the bed, hoping that Ron would be to tired to not come and open the drapes. "I've missed you." He whispered, nuzzling her on the neck, placing little kisses on her collar bone.

"I've missed you too." She whispered back, bringing her face up to kiss him. "Mum was watching the three of us like vultures though. And you three are always training, so you guys could let us in to take part in the training so we could spend some time together." Ginny said, popping herself up on her elbows.

"No. We could find other ways to spend time privately." Harry said, kissing her forehead and laying back down on his side.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Fine. Have it your way. Draco's bed is not being used, so when you decide to grow a backbone, come to me." Ginny said in a huff, rising from the bed.

Harry quickly rose after her, holding her by the waist to keep her from leaving. "Please, Gin. Please understand why I'm doing this." He whispered against her neck.

"How can you possibly hope that I understand? You're taking me out of the action, placing me on the side as if I'm a little housewife."

"No, I'd never think that. I just don't want to lose you, Gin. I don't want any of you guys anywhere near me while I do this but I need Ron and Draco there. I'm desperately trying to keep everything together and I don't know if I can."

"Then let us help you. Look at me Harry, I'm offering myself to you. Let me in, you cant have me wait for you again. I've waited years to be with you, but now you insist on keeping me at arms length. I cant take it, Harry."

"Ginny, you mean so much to me. I cant even tell you how much. I'm sorry I didn't let you know how I felt earlier, things might be really different now."

"Harry, the biggest advantage you have over you know who is that you have friends and people who love you very much. Without that, its one less advantage."

"What if something happens to you guys?" Harry asked, voicing his biggest fears to his girlfriend.

"Something can happen anywhere and any time. The more help you have, the faster this will end. Come on, lets just talk in bed while we can." Ginny said gently, pecking him on the lips.

They both held each other, with Harry laying his head on her stomach, drawing little patterns with his fingers on her hip. Ginny just scratched his scalp gently, massaging his temple, earning a little moan for her efforts. "Harry, what's going to happen to us?" Ginny asked gently after a few minutes.

"I don't let myself think of that yet." Harry answered, just as quietly.

"But lets do that. Do you still want to be an auror or a Quiditch player?"

"Neither. Both would keep me away from you for too long. I think I might open a little shop or something. Maybe a restaurant or something small like that. I want to be able to control what happens. I want to help you out with all the kids and stuff." He said, smiling to himself over his imagination.

"Kids, Harry?" Ginny asked, sitting up and moving him to look at her.

"Um, I know we haven't talked about it or anything, but I always thought that after this all ended, we might settle down. I don't know, maybe have a few kids and a nice little house."

Harry couldn't finish the rest because he got his lap full of his girlfriend, knocking him back onto the bed with her on top, placing small kisses all over his face. "Really? Kids, Harry? For us?" She asked excitedly.

"Yes. We'll have to talk about everything of course, but I'd always thought that that was what we could end up with." Harry said with a blush.

Pansy was surprised to find a few candles floating above Ron's bed and him reading a quiditch magazine. "Hey. Mind if I join you?" She asked with a coy smile.

Ron just smiled back and moved the piles of stuff to the floor so she could sit. He just watched as she took off her dressing robe, leaving her just in a short chemise.

"Do you mind if I sleep here with you tonight? Our room is sort of occupied." She asked, smiling when all Ron did was open and close his mouth a few times.

She laid down next to him, making herself comfortable on her side as to give him the most enticing view. She knew that he liked her, but at this pace, she would be an old maid, waiting for him to make more then some little looks or brushings of her hand.

"Um, what are you doing here?"

"Like I said, our room is busy and I didn't think you'd mind sharing a bit of space with me." Pansy answered.

"Listen, I wanted to talk to you about some stuff." Ron said nervously. He tried his hardest, imagining his grandfather and Aunt Myrtle to keep his eyes from going down her chest. He just stared as she sat up, making the small nightgown ride even lower down her chest. "Can you please just cover up a bit?" He asked, holding up a blanket for her.

She gave him a pout, but gestured for him to wrap it around her. "Well, what did you want to tell me, Ron?" She asked sweetly.

"Um, well, I was talking to the guys, and um, they seem to think that you might like me." Ron said, blushing up to his hair.

"And if I did?" She asked with a smile.

"Well, you're a beautiful girl and all that, but you have to think of it, I haven't a Knut to my name. You should find someone else." He said, looking down and picking up at the frayed edge of his pajamas.

"Ronald Weasley! I don't know weither to be appalled or thankful that you think I'm worth so much."

"Well, you are. You're beautiful and smart. You're wonderful. And you're also wasting your time on me. You should have Draco set you up with one of his rich pureblood friends."

"Oh, Ron. Money doesn't matter to me anymore! My father disowned me when I refuse to marry Theodore Nott before school ended. Draco has been kind enough to help me with paying for things."

"Still, I don't think that we could work anything out. I'm not like the guys your meant for."

"That's why I like you so much. You say what you want, when you want and don't question it. I love the way you look at me when know one knows it. It makes me feel like someone that worthy of being loved. I've never had that before." Pansy said, taking his hands in hers.

"Really? I mean, I don't know how this would work out I mean, we're j-"

Pansy was tired of all his talking and so she just kissed him. She straddled his lap and pushed him down, not letting the connection of their lips break. "I want you Ron, just you. And I always get want I want." She said when they broke apart to breathe.

Narcissa made her way to the kitchen after the two girls turned the corner, wanting a cup of tea to help her sleep. At the bottom of the stairs, she paused when she heard the main door open, drawing her wand out just in case.

When she saw who came in, she flushed and he heart began to beat out of her chest. When he looked up, her eyes caught his and they both seemed mesmerized for a few minutes. "Um, hello Kingsley." Narcissa said with a smile.

Kingsley Shacklebolt just looked at Narcissa Malfoy. It had been a few months since he had seen her, and even then it was from far away. She still looked like the young girl that he had fallen in love with, only what had to be frown lines and a certain sadness in her eyes marred the effect. He steeped closer, basking in the soft scent of lavender that she always seemed to carry around her.

"Would you like to join me for some tea? I was just about to go have some." Narcissa said with a smile.

"That sounds wonderful. I just came back here to leave some reports for Dumbledore." He said slowly in his deep voice, following Narcissa. He sat down at the counter stool and watched her move around the kitchen.

"Two sugars and milk, right?"

"I cant believe you remember that." He said with a smile.

She sat down next to him, stirring in some more sugar in hers. "You know, I thought I saw you at the ministry a few months ago when I went with Draco to give evidence against Lucius. I tried to catch up to you, but you had already flooed out."

"Yes, I knew you were going to stop by around that time." Kingsley said, looking down at his cup as if it had all the answered he was looking for.

"Listen, I know this isn't the best thing I can say, but I never meant to hurt you, Kingsley. I had no choice, my parents forced the marriage, if I had had some time to warn you, or could have escaped I would have. Surely you must know that."

"The only thing I knew was that the woman I loved, and who swore to love me too was getting married when we were supposed to be picking out our own wedding date. I trusted you with everything, Narcissa."

"And I gave my heart to you. And you've had it for the past 20 years. That has never changed, it cant ever change. I survived, that's all I've done. Year after year the only thing that kept me alive was my son and the thought of somehow being together with you."

"And what do we do now, Mrs. Malfoy? It's probably well known now that we were bonded and that I'm part of the Order. Us renewing what we had before would make the prices on our heads even higher."

"I cant think of a better way to go." Narcissa said, leaning over to kiss him, putting all her pent up feelings of the past two decades into that one kiss.

AN: Hi y'all. Like Narcissa's mate? I'm not a huge fan of this chapter. I've kept on reading it over and over, but what do you all think?  
I want to thank each and every single reviewer. When I first started this, I didn't think I'd get much response, positive or negative. Next chapter is really good, if I do say so myself and I'll post it in the next two or three days. Toddles and thanks a billion!


	20. Chapter 20

Jane Granger was beyond furious. She found that if her concentrated her mind on all the anger and hate, the pain diminished. Whatever that bitch Narcissa did was not working, all it did was not let her shut her eyes. She laid there in pain, trying to figure out how to extract the maximum amount of pain over Hermione.

She didn't know how long she just laid there, felling every vibration from her body right in her arm. Her anger festered insider her, trying to think of what would cause the most pain for the Malfoy boy.

She didn't know how long she laid there, but she struggled to make some type of noise or move around when she heard someone come into the room. She thought she saw the rooms light turning on and she redoubled her struggle.

"Well, now this is something interesting." Katharina said, walking up to the woman on the floor. With a wave of her hand, Jane was able to finally open her eyes and tried to move around.

"I'll kill them." Jane whispered harshly, holding out her arm awkwardly in the least painful position.

"Now, now. We have to think this through. We all would have known if Draco had made her his, so we have some time left. I will think of what needs to be done. I need you to make nice with your daughter until I have a clear vision of what I want done."

"I refuse to talk to that person. She is no longer anything to me." Jane said angrily.

"Now you listen to me, muggle. You will do what I say, when I say. This isn't about your daughter. Draco Malfoy stands to be one of the most powerful and richest men in our world. I will not have you mess up my chance at getting him. Make peace with your daughter for now." With that, she quickly walked out the room, leaving Jane to her thoughts.

Draco opened the door slowly, trying to keep the tray floating behind him without his wand. He was slightly disappointed to see that Hermione was at the vanity table, pulling her hair back into a low ponytail.

"You shouldn't be here. It's how rumors get started." She said softly.

"And what rumors would anyone start about us." He replied, setting the tray next to the bed. He walked over to the vanity and sat down with one leg on either side of her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Talk to me. I know you cant mean what you say." He said softly, pushing her hair to the side so he could nuzzle her neck.

"This cant work, Draco. It just isn't possible. You almost killed my mother last night and I just let it happen."

"She deserved it. She hurt you."

"No. She's my mother. I know that our relationship is not perfect, but she is still my mother. I owe her my life." She answered back.

"And you've already repaid your debt to her. There is something wrong with her and I want you to stay away from her. Just until I figure out exactly how to deal with her."

"No, Draco. You too have to see how wrong we are for each other. It just doesn't make sense. Even us being friends is a stretch. You must be confused."

"Don't you understand, Hermione? You are my mate, the only woman I could ever really love. There is no mistaking that fact." He said, looking into her eyes from the mirror.

"And that's why I wont accept what you're offering." She said, just as softly, pulling away from him and leaving the room.

Draco just sat there for a few minutes, trying to think of what exactly just happened. Since just before the age of 13, girls just seemed to flock to him. Now that he had the girl that was meant for him, he was having a had time comprehending that she wouldn't just jump into his arms and his bed. With on more sweeping look down at the vanity table, he picked up the hair brush that she had been using, still smelling of the soft flowery perfume that she used and slipped it in his pocket.

Katharina quickly walked into the room the Jane had go in a few hours before, walking up to the woman. "How serious are you about separating your daughter from Lord Malfoy?" She asked the older woman, coming right up to her.

"I am obviously serious enough to have myself nearly maimed."

"Well, a little birdy has told me that your daughter had a proposal from someone who I did not even think of using in this little endeavor."

"Was it the Weasley boy?"

"No, even better. I believe you've met Mr. Viktor Krum before."

Jane just stared into space for a few seconds, trying to think of how to use this. She had been thrilled when the two ended their little relationship a few years ago and had thought she wouldn't have to deal with the boy any longer.

"Your daughter refused, of course, but we need to act quickly for my plan to work. Your daughter is still under aged, it is still law for you to sign a marriage contract in her name and she'd had to accept it. The law is not used anymore that much, so all the better to use it."

"Offer her to another man? No, I don't want her attached to anyone."

"Do you not understand it, woman? The fates meant for Lord Malfoy and your daughter to be together. She'll be miserable for the rest of her life and there will be nothing to separate them if we word the contract right."

Jane gave a sadistic smile, thinking of the payback she would give the two teens with this blow. "Yes, do what you must."

"The only question would be to get a few drops of blood as her signature."

"Don't worry about that, I'll take care of it." Jane said quickly.

Hermione quickly made her way up the first set of stairs that she saw, roaming the upper rooms aimlessly for a few minutes until she ended up at what must have been the owlery. She sat down on a window ledge, looking out to the dewy morning.

"So I take it that you cant sleep either?" Harry asked, stepping out of the shadows.

Hermione shuffled a bit to make room for her friend to sit next to her. She smiled when he sat down to her, leaning into him and laying her head on his shoulders. "I missed you." She said softly.

"Me too. I know we've all been busy, but I really missed just the three of us like it used to be." He replied, wrapping an arm around her.

"I'd thought you'd still be in bed. I guessed that Ginny would be with you when I didn't find her in our room."

"She's still sleeping. We were talking and I kind of got thinking." Harry said, following Hermione's gaze.

"Me too. Why do things have to be so complex? How come we just be average kids just trying to go and survive through school?

"I have asked myself that question everyday every since I could remember." Harry answered with a chuckle. "Anything in particular that is bothering you?"

"It's not something to be fixed, just ignored." She said, pulling away from Harry.

"Does it have anything to do with Draco?"  
"How'd you know?" She asked surprised.

"I'm not as dumb as I seem." He replied with a smile.

"Oh, I didn't mean it like that, Harry."

"I know, just teasing. But he told us about the vampire thing."

"What am I to do, Harry? He has it in his head that we're to like date or something."

"You're a Gryffindor, 'Mione. Just go with that gut feeling. I mean, look at me: I follow my guts and luck most of the times and I'm still here. A few scars here and there but I'm here."

"And what if this scars my heart?"

"I doubt that would happen, but then you'll know what to look for in your next relationship."

"I'm absolutely petrified about this." She said after a few seconds of silence.

"I felt the same way about Ginny before I asked her out. But even then I liked the nerves if ithad to do with her. Love is worth it, worth the fear and the hurt for those few seconds of happiness when the two people who love each together truly are just together."

"Do you think he'll break me?" She asked in a whisper.

"Hermione Granger broken? Never will happen. Maybe you'll be more domestic, but never broken." Harry replied, kissing her temple.

"Thank you, Har' I think I needed to hear that." She said, hugging the boy tightly.

"Anytime, Mione. Just don't be so scared all the time."

"Will do. Now I think I need to find Draco." She said with a smile, wiping the tears from her eyes and standing. She threw Harry one more smile before walking out of the room.

AN: A million sorrys for the delay, real life got in the way. Next chapter will be up tomorrow, cross my heart.


	21. Chapter 21

Katharina made her way swiftly to her own room, running over the best scenarios that she could use. After a few more seconds, she finally decided what to do exactly. "Kreacher!" She called out.

"You yelled?" The old house elf asked after he appeared a minute later, looking at the woman with barely disguised hatred.

"Listen hear, you little worm. If you can help me, I might be able to rid you of the mud blood's presence."

"Why should Kreacher help you? A blood drinker who sully's herself with the company of the blood traitors."

"Be weary of how you speak to me. You can either help me this instant, or watch you precious house burn to cinders." That statement made the house elf bend. "Now, I require a marriage contract. I know pureblood families keep them prewritten for their children so you must have at least one of them in the house."

"Right away, ma'am." the old house elf whispered before popping out of the room.

She quietly rehearsed exactly what she would say to Mr. Krum, thinking of what spell or position could be used to make her job easier. She smiled evilly when Kreacher arrived, snatching the rolled up parchment and quickly scanning it. "Fetch me Viktor Krum. Tell him to come quickly." She ordered, going to the desk in the corner to fill in their correct names.

She straightened up when she heard the knock at the door, smoothing down her hair and trying to look friendlier as they young man entered. "Mr. Krum, thank you so much for coming so quickly. Please have a seat, there is much to be discussed and little time." She gestured with a smile to a chair by her desk.

"Now, it has come to our attention that you have proposed marriage to our dear Hermione."

"She told you of this?"

"Of course. We're best of friends." She replied with a big smile.

"Then you would know that she refused me?"

"Oh, nonsense. That was just a bit of maidenly shyness. She ran to tell Jane and I all about it. Had us write up a proper marriage contract as quickly as possible. She can be officially yours as soon as tonight if you if you just sign here." She said, trying to sound sincere.

Viktor Krum was not the most brilliant man, something that he admitted to anyone. He knew how to play Quidditch, drink and keep smarter people then himself around him. That's why he loved Hermione so much; she was brilliant, but still knew how to talk to him on his level. She was the perfect woman, in his eyes and he had been heartbroken at his turned down proposal.

"Mrs. Granger was over joyed, of course and we came up with this." She said, unrolling the parchment. "The only condition is that it be done immediately. Mr. and Mrs. Granger are leaving in the morning and she would truly love it if this was signed as soon as possible and taken to the ministry to register as soon as possible. With these uncertain times, I'm sure you can understand."

"And Hermione has seen this?" He asked, trying to read a bit of what was written.

"Of course, she helped write the contract." She said, smile still plastered on her face. "All we need is a spot of your blood and its done."

He nodded slowly, finding Hermione's name a few times on the parchment and he withdrew his wand and cast a spell to make a small cut on his fingers. He let a few drops fall, watching the paper glow for a few seconds.

"Lovely, dear. Now we just need Hermione to sign and you're finished! With her shyness and all, I'd suggest that you not speak to her too much until we're all set to start planning the wedding. She's a traditional girl, you see." She said, motioning for him to stand.

"Thank you, Madame. I was about to leave with all the ugly business that was going on with the Malfoy boy and the rejection."

"See, and now you're about to gain a lovely wife, so go on with you and tell your family and all that stuff the happy news."

When she turned, she could finally let the smile fall from her face. She cast a quick drying charm on the wet blood and quickly made her way out of the room when she was sure the boy was out of the hall.

"I've got it!" She exclaimed when she ran to Jane's room. "All we need is a spot of your daughters blood and they'll be done for. I've already got the boy to sign, so all you need to do is get hers."

"I think I can handle that." Jane said, quickly scanning the scroll, a sinister smile growing on her face.

Draco slowly made his way to his mothers' room, needing advice. She was sitting by to window, reading a small book with tea service in front of her. "Hello, darling." She said when she felt him drawing near.

"How are you, mother?" He asked after kissing her hand and sitting across from her.

"I'm fine, dear. The only question is how are you?" Narcissa said, putting down her book and fixing a cup of tea for her son.

"This is going to be a lot harder than what I thought."

"I could have told you that, love. Hermione isn't the average little harlot that you're used to bedding. I've been trying to tell you that since you told me she was your mate."

"I just don't know how to go about winning her." He replied, taking a sip of his warm tea.

"You can start by not referring to her as if she's some little trophy to 'win'. you're a charming boy, love, surely you can figure out how to charm her. I don't expect it to be that hard, I've seen the looks that she gives you. And dear, all the denying in the world will not be able to ignore the destined connection to you."

"Well, how do we speed up the process? We're in the middle of a war here, its not something I want her directly involved in and for that to happen, I need her pregnant with my heir for her not to willingly put herself in danger."

"Than with that frame of mind, I don't believe you'll have that much success, darling."

"Hermione left Harry quickly. A million thoughts running through her head but the most frequent was of the look that Draco had given her, just before she closed her eyes for the final time last night.

What Harry had said had made her really think. Over the years, she had watched him make decisions based on his gut instincts and he seemed to be happy enough.

Right now, her guts told her to jump and see what would happen with Draco. With her mind made up, she changed directions and headed towards her room. When she saw it empty, she turned and went down the hall towards the boys room. When she didn't find him there, she retraced her steps, her adrenaline high coming down quickly. She stood in the hallway, trying to think of what to do now.

She noticed that her mother's light was on, deciding that she needed to get their talk over with so she could have a clear mind when she did manage to talk to Draco.

She slowly walked up to the door, knocking softly and trying to regulate her breathing. She opened the door when she heard her mother, cautiously walking in.

"Hermione dear, please come in." Jane said with a smile.

Hermione just stood there with her mouth open for a few seconds but then regained her composure and closed the door behind her. "Mum, about last night, I-"

"All is forgotten, Hermione." Jane said with a smile. "That boy came over and we spoke. I think he's a good amn for you. I was a tad nervous with the speed that he wanted to pursue you in, but the contract that he showed me, you don't have a limit."

"Contact? What contract?"

"A marriage contract, dear. I know it's a bit sudden, but there's no date set. If handed to your ministry thing today, you'll have up to three years to marry the boy if you choose. Or if it doesn't work out, the contract could be chucked out."

Hermione took the contract, trying to skim though it quickly. She was about to ask her mother the details when the parchment was snatched from her.

"Forget it. I try to make amends and you're questioning what I have promised that boy to supply. Its perfectly understandable that you're against me right now."

"Its not that, mother. Its just that this is all so sudden. But if you helped write it, then its fine, I'll sign. As long as I don't have to marry him next week or something, its fine."

"Very well. A few spots of blood at the bottom and its done. I'll have it sent to wherever its supposed to go." Jane said with a smile.

She watched eagerly as her daughter made a tiny puncture mark with her wand on the tip of her index finger and let a few drops fall.

AN: There you are, as promised. Reviews will make me work harder!! Next chapter just needs a bit of tweaking before I post. Night y'all!!


	22. Chapter 22

Next chapter is 3/4 done so the next 10 reviews gets a new chappy. (I'm such a review whore now, sorry for asking for them!)

Draco smelled something sweet in the air, putting down his tea and stood.

"Yes, someone's bleeding. Happened a few minutes ago, too. Have you thought what to do when the girls have their 'curses'."

"What curses, mother?" He asked, still distracted.

"You know, their monthly fluxes." She said, with a slight blush.

Draco's face reddened, "I don't think this is a proper conversation."

"Of course it isn't, but it must be done. You are living with three young women, yet you have not thought of this. What happens when you start training in earnest and someone gets hurt and bleeds in front of you? Have you gotten that self control yet?"

"Of course not. But Uncle Severus has agreed to brew a potion to help with the blood lust. I can and will learn what I need to."

"Yes, but now there is another that you must think of. Hermione is in danger as long as her mother is in the picture. What are you doing to help her situation?"

"I plan on removing the problem altogether. Only Hermione's own reluctance is keeping me from fixing the problem."

"Then she has definitely accepted her place as your mate?" Narcissa asked, with a raised eyebrow.

"She will. She has no other choice but to."

"And that attitude will cause you much pain, my darling. I've told you before, this girl is not a trophy to be won and displayed."

"Yes, and I will again tell you that I will make it work. Hermione is still a woman like all the others I've had. There can't be much of a difference. I just need to control my powers a little better and we'll be happy."

"Well, since you seem to have everything under control, you do not need me here or any more advice." Narcissa said, turning from her son.

Draco rolled his eyes at the older woman's dramatics. "Of course I still need you, Mother. I just need to learn by myself also. Hermione and I will be fine."

"You need to respect her and treat her as an equal for that to happen. She's a brilliant girl, Draco.

"I do respect her and she knows it, but I think Katharina's advice is, I think, the fastest way to get this. I mean, once I claim her she won't have a choice in whether she wants to be with me or not."

"Listen to me, Draco, very carefully. I love you, you are my son, but if you force that girl into anything that she's not ready for you'll have me to deal with. And not just me, but Harry and Ron as well."

Hermione rushed through a few rooms, looking for Draco. Hundreds of thoughts ran through her head, but all of them happy. Albeit confused, but happy. She made her way quickly through the house, wanting to mostly thank Draco for making her mother so happy that she was actually nice to Hermione.

She finally thought she heard his voice from down the hallway and quickly made her way over. She knocked softly, hearing Narcissa's gentle "Come in."

She watched with a blush as Draco stood and slowly walked closer to her. "Um, I just talked to my mother. I don't know what to say, I mean I signed the contract but now what do we do? Mother said that we didn't have to set a date or anything yet, but she was so happy with me and I-"

"What are you talking about, Hermione?" Draco asked, worry creeping into his voice as his mate continued to talk.

"Our marriage contract. Mother said that the two of you spoke and everything is settled. Its all a bit sudden and fast, but it could work." she replied with a small smile and blush.

Draco lasted about four seconds before he lost his control. A wind started in the room, moving books and furniture in a frightening way. His eyes began to turn blood red, as what she said truly sunk in. He used his new powers to break forcefully into her mind before she knew it and he saw her as if in a pensieve as she signed in blood the so called marriage contract.

Narcissa ran quickly over to the two teens when she saw Hermione's terrified look when she began to float a few inches from the floor. She stood in front of the whimpering girl, fangs and arms at the ready.

"Control yourself! How can you prove that you can protect her in you can't calm yourself enough to think!" Narcissa exclaimed.

Hermione steeled herself and looked right at Draco. When she looked deeply into his eyes, she knew by instinct what must be done. She went around Narcissa and kneeled at his feet, her head tilted just so to expose the artery in her neck.

Draco just looked down at her, pleased with her show of submission. He lifted her by the neck and buried his face in her neck for a few seconds, inhaling her scent. She stood perfectly still as he used her calming presence to take the blood lust away slowly. "I will fix this. Just know that your mother has tried to break our bond, and now I'll have to deal with her." Draco said, a slight growl in his voice. With that, Draco pulled away and hurried from the room.

Narcissa ran to the younger woman, silently comforting the trembling girl, as she slowly came to realize what had just happened. She rubbed soothing circles over Hermione's back, whispering words of comfort. All the while thinking that this would be the breaking point in proving if her only son was still a boy or now a man.

Jane rushing over the length of the room, throwing clothes into her suitcase, not noticing the angry man standing by the door.

"In a hurry, Mrs. Granger?" Draco asked, his fangs peeking out over his bottom lip, his fury barely in check.

"I'm sure its none of your concern, boy. Why don't you just leave me be so I can finish up here?"

"Where is the marriage contract?" Draco asked, throwing the suitcase across the room with a cursory wave of his hand as he advanced into the room.

"I have no idea what you're speaking of." She said tensely.

"Your eyes beg to differ. I do not want to hurt your daughter, so you will live, for now. But do not think for one second that this trespass will be forgotten. I will destroy you, and when I'm done with you, you will beg me for death. And all while, your daughter will be with me, happy and wealthy. Bearing me heirs while watching you suffer and enjoying it to the fullest."

"If you think you can threaten me like this, you're sorely mistaken. You'll find, young man, that the word fear is not in my vocabulary."

"It might not be in your vocabulary, but it's in your eyes. You want to tear Hermione and I apart, but you will not succeed. As of now, consider yourself my enemy. And I will not rest until your life is in ruins." With that, he turned, making his way to the sitting room. Jane was left looking pale, trying to decide whether to take his threat seriously or not. Richard Granger could feel the tension in the air. He looked over to his wife, seeing her rigid body posture.

"What's going on?" He asked, folding his newspaper and placing it on his night table.

"You're daughter is out to ruin me, that's what," she spat.

"Then you must have done something to her." Richard Granger had always known that his wife wasn't a pleasant person. When they had started dating, she was a brilliant, beautiful woman who was going into the medical field. She was cold and aloof, but that somehow attracted him.

When they had gotten married a few years later, he fought tooth and nails for her to bear him a child, and she had been the only reason why the marriage had continued. He lived for his little girl, and if that meant putting up the facade of a happy family, he would do it. "Well, whatever it is, I hope that you didn't involve me."

"Of course. You're just standing by for the ride, aren't you? Always satisfied with being mediocre."

"Don't bother with insults, Jane. They hold no weight with me anymore, you should know that. Just know that the things that kept me by your side are no longer a concern. Hermione is almost of age and I would suggest you make your peace with her very soon." She just watched for a few seconds as her husband turned and walked out the room. She picked up a heavy hand mirror and hurled it as hard as she could towards the door. The plans that had sounded so perfect were crumbling and now she had to think quickly to salvage the situation.

Draco ignored Ron and Harry as he passed by them on his way to the fireplace in the living room. He haphazardly threw some floo powder and shouted "Ministry of Magic" and stepped into the green powder.

He quickly stepped out of the fireplace, ignoring all the wizards staring at him as he hurried towards the large check in desk.

The wizard didn't even look up from his Quidditch magazine as he asked Draco to present his wand and state his purpose of being there. "Draco Lucius Malfoy. I'm here to see the Minister." Draco said, with the superior tone that had been drilled into his mind since the age of five.

The man formed an 'o' with his mouth, and he looked at the teen up and down. "Good afternoon, Mr. Mal-"

"Lord Malfoy." Draco corrected angrily, still not withdrawing his wand. "Now let me pass, or you'll be out of a job before the end of the day.

"Of course, Lord Malfoy, my apologies." he said nervously, writing his name in the large ledger in front of him.

Draco didn't even wait for his visitors badge as he made his way to the lifts. He just glared and snarled at the people that tried to get on with him, making them look down and step away to wait for the next lift.

When he heard the calm voice announcing the floor he needed, he stepped out and made his way over to the minister's secretary's desk. "Lord Malfoy, honor to see you, sir." The young witch said, a light blush crossing her cheek as she stood in greeting.

"I'm here to see the minister. It's an urgent matter that cannot wait for a proper meeting. I'm sure that you can just arrange something for me, right now." He said, trying to remember the mind control techniques that he had been learning.

"Right away, my Lord." She said slowly, her brown eyes blank.

Draco had to wait a couple of minutes before he heard the oak double doors of the minister's office open. "Lord Malfoy, my dear boy! What an utter pleasure to see you!" Fudge said, walking out with a big smile, but nerves clearly showing in his eyes.

"If I could have a private word with you, sir. I promise it will only take a moment." Draco said politely but with authority.

"Yes, of course my dear boy, but of course it must be quick. Lots to do, as you know." He replied with a nervous chuckle, motioning for Draco to enter the room first.

Draco walked into the office, sitting down on one of the two large leather chairs without waiting to be asked.

"Now. The reason for my visit is that a magical contract has been signed this morning that I want revoked."

"And what type of contract is this?"

"I have claimed Hermione Granger as my mate. She was tricked into signing with blood a marriage contract to another man and I want it to disappear."

"Well, you know that if any contract is finalized with blood, its high near impossible to void."

"Now, now, minister. Surely we can come to some arrangement. I remember certain favors that were done for my father-""Now you listen here, Mr. Malfoy. I will not have my character questioned by a li-"

"No, minister, it's you that need to listen. My father kept very thorough records on the galleons he dropped at the ministry, specifically directly into your pocket. It would be so easy for me but disastrous for you if the information just slipped out, say in front of a reporter. I am not my father, minister, I am much more dangerous than that man and you would do well to remember that." Draco said, arching an eyebrow in a challenge.

"I have no idea to what you're referring to."

"Very well, Minister. Then I guess I can make someone in the magical treaties department very rich. I would also suggest that you get yourself a good solicitor for when the story breaks publicly." Draco answered smugly, rising and heading towards the door.

"Wait just a moment, Mr. Malfoy." Fudge called out as Draco reached the door. "I'm sure something can be done to help you. Why don't we just walk over to the department and see if we can help you out."

Hermione was still shaking after Draco left the room, not really aware of Narcissa still being there. She just sobbed into her hands, her body still kneeling and bent submissively.

She had never subjected herself to such shameful behavior and now that was all that ran through her mind. The compulsion to submit and obey was not something that she was used to or could control. After years of friendship with mostly Harry and Ron, she could not be acting like a prissy, little, obedient doll. She was used to standing up for herself and this would never do.

"Dear, maybe I should fetch you a calming potion. Then, when Draco comes back, we can talk calmly and figure this out."

"No, I cant. I've read about this. Vampires control peoples mind and if I'm going to turn into a blabbering idiot every time he gets angry, I won't do this. I cannot." Hermione said to the older woman, wiping her eyes and rising to her feet with a slight trembling. She walked out the room slowly, ignoring Narcissa's pleads to stay as she headed towards the door.


	23. Chapter 23

Draco apparated just down the block from Grimmuald Place, knowing the risk, but needing the fresh air to calm him down before he faced Hermione. He had managed to secure the void on the marriage contract, a few thousand galleons assured that it would stay quiet.

The first thing he had to do was get Jane Granger out of the picture. Her father seemed nice enough, but he would need to find out more of the relationship with his daughter before he passed any judgments. All he knew was that this was taking too long. Katharina had informed him during their last lesson that in one month their mating season began. If Hermione didn't come to him willingly, then she would be his by force, no amount of will power or protection would keep her away from him.

Hermione hurried to her room, casting all the locking charms that she had learned over the past six years. She sank down on her bed, refusing to cry out and spill her tears into the pillow.

All her life, she had been the strong and reasonable one. When she had met Harry and Ron, they had at first shunned her, but then they became fast friends, and she easily fell into the role of the 'brain' behind the trio. She liked her place there, too. She always knew her role and the only ripple in the relationship was when Ron and herself had tried dating. That disastrous experiment had lasted only a couple of days and their relationship had returned to normal.

After her two failed attempts at romance, she had resigned herself into thinking that her mother was right and she didn't try to pursue any other boys her age.

When her best friends made a truce with Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson, she found herself with a new girlfriend and a new boy around the tight circle of friends. Pansy was like Lavender Brown and the other gossips of her year, but with a more sarcastic and deeper meaning. The only problem was Malfoy.

The new Draco Malfoy still had traces of the prat that he used to be, but scaled down. The insults he shared with Ron and Harry were now playful and she had at first stayed as far as possible away from him. It wasn't until near the end of the school year that they had finally started to really get along.

Flashback

Hermione had left the room of requirement as soon as it was polite to do so. Draco and Pansy had been invited by Ginny to come and study with them. She loved Pansy but Draco made her extremely nervous. every time she saw him smirk in her direction or heard him laugh, she had to remind herself of what the girls said about the boy.

She knew that all the rumors couldn't possibly be true, it just wasn't logical. But the nickname of 'Sex god of Hogwarts' couldn't have just sprung up from thin air. There had to be some truth to them. That, and the boy just made her nervous.

She grabbed her backpack and headed outside, towards the tree by the lake. She took out the large, well worn journal that her father had given to her when she had found out that she was a witch. She still remembered when she first opened the lavender book, and she saw that her father had written a short note-

"To my most precious love in the world, I hope you fill this diary with your hopes, dreams, and know that if you follow your heart, you'll prevail. I want this book to  
Be your companion when I'm not there. My unending love, you Dad"

She made it a habit of always reading the inside cover before she started any work in it. This was the only thing that was somewhat disorganized in her life. Paragraphs were scattered throughout the pages in between drawings of things that had caught her eyes.

She went out of her way sometimes to make things not go in order, needing that craziness. She pasted pictures and random things that reminded her of certain feelings or thoughts. She smiled when she saw a hair ribbon that Harry had brought for her in Diagon Alley a few years ago. As she got towards the end, she realized that a lot of her drawings were of Draco. She just frowned as she noticed that the last few drawings that she had done were of Draco. She had to admit that she was somehow attracted to him, but his attitude most of the time was atrocious, his behavior towards other woman proved that.

Of course he was like a new man now, but someone couldn't change completely in just a few months, just because Harry and Ron accepted him, didn't mean that she had to. She liked keeping her distance from him so that her mind can stay focused on the task at hand.

She began making a sketch of the rolling hills in front of her. She again thanked her father for getting her all the drawing lessons when she was younger. She was so involved with what she was doing that she did not hear someone walk up to her.

When Draco sat down right next to her, there thighs touching, she looked to her left and gasped, quickly shut the book closed, pulling it to her chest.

"I didn't know that you drew." Draco said, nodding towards the book. When she stayed silent for a few seconds, he pulled out a thin white gold case. She looked at him curiously as he loosened his tie and leaned back into the tree.

He opened the case and offered her a cigarette, taking one to himself when she adamantly refused, he lit it with the tip of his wand and took a long pull.

"I have to say that that quite disgusting. You're ruining your health with that." She finally said after he heart had calmed.

"Yes, well this is one of the few more innocent indulgences that I allow myself." He replied, seemingly fascinated with watching the curls of smoke in front of him.

"Of course it is, I shouldn't be surprised."

He stayed silent for a few seconds, just staring at the stick in between his fingers. "My health doesn't matter much, now does it?"

"Of course it matters. Your family and friends care about what happens to you. You should be more careful with what you do."

"Friends? What friends? All I have is Pansy, and she's more interested in what Ron will think of what she's wearing today."

"Harry, Ron and Ginny care about you now."

"Its interesting on how you didn't include yourself in that illustrious list of my new friends." He said, turning himself fully towards her, only to see her blush.

"Don't bother in denying it. You practically run from whatever room I enter. I know that I have wronged you Hermione, many times over the years but when I feel ready to, I'll apologize and hope that we can have a true friendship."

With that, she visibly relaxed, putting her journal down on her lap. "And I'll accept that apology when I get it." She answered with a smile.

After a few minutes of companionable silence, he flicked the cigarette in the lake. "So, care to show me your progress?" He said motioning towards her lap.

"No! I mean, I've never shown this to anyone. It's like my journal." She said with blush.

"Then just she me the drawings. Surely you want someone's opinion on whether you're any good or not. The scholar in you wants to know if others think you're perfect."

She grew nervous again. It was very hard to focus on anything when he was genuinely smiling at her like that. Harry and Ron didn't even know that she kept a diary and now a boy that had been her enemy for years was asking to peak into her most private and treasured belonging.

"Come on, I'll never breathe a word of this to another soul."

It took her a few minutes to actually open up the book again and move it over a bit so that half of it was on his lap. The page that she happened to open first was a drawing that she had made a few months ago of Ginny and Luna studying in the library.

Draco just stared at the picture. The only thing he didn't know was whether to compliment her insanely or to give her his honest opinion. He thought about for a few more seconds and he knew that for a proper relationship to come from all this he would have to tell her the truth. "Well, you are good, I'll give you that, but it's like looking at a statue. There is no life behind the eyes, and your drawing just what you see, you're not trying to convey emotions."

Hermione just looked at him, biting her bottom lip, not knowing what a distraction it really was to the boy next to her. She looked down and knew what he meant. She had been to enough art exhibits to see famous artists and now had to admit that he was right.

"If you study peoples mannerisms and try to get inside there heads, you'd have more success in capturing a moment. That's the whole purpose of a picture or painting, to capture a moment in time in someone's life."

"Wow, I never would have thought of you as an art connoisseur." Hermione said with a smile.

"Well, I've had more training for everything than you can imagine." Draco said with a smile. He looked away towards the water again, trying to bring up what he wanted to say without scarring her away.

"Um, Hermione?"

"Yes?"

"I would really like it if we could spend more time like this. I mean, I know that I haven't been the most pleasant person in the world, but I'd like a chance to prove that I've changed. I know I'm still a right bastard sometimes, but I'd like to be closer to you." He said, almost shyly.

The tone of his voice endeared her instantly, the naturally maternal and nurturing side of her and she finally relaxed and allowed herself a genuine smile.

End Flashback

Hermione was startled out of her memories at the knock on the bedroom door. She turned her head, ready to ignore whoever it was.

"I know you're there, Hermione." Draco's voice called out.

She groaned into her pillow, knowing that there was no way to avoid this, but she desperately needed to keep her head on her shoulders, refusing to be submissive ever again.

The door gave a soft click, and in walked said cause of problem. She quickly stood up, not wanting to give him an even bigger advantage. She just stood there as he came up, trying to keep the light headed feelings at bay.

"You can relax, Hermione. We just need to talk for a minute." Draco said softly, pulling her down next to him on the bed. "I went to the ministry and had the contract voided."

"Thank you." She said softly, not looking at her.

"Never do that again, Hermione. Serious consequences could have arisen, for the both of us. You have to understand your new place in life as my mate. If you have a problem with being the subservient half of this relationship, we can work on a compromise later on. Right now, I need you to accept your place."

He saw that she was about to argue but quickly turned her head to his, pulling her so close that their noses touched. "No, don't say a word. You know, somewhere deep in your soul that you belong to me. Our souls were destined to unite since before the beginning of time. The sooner you realize that, the better it will be." With that he closed the distance between them and finally gave her the kiss that he had been dreaming of since that day so long ago by the lake.

He gently caressed her neck, worried that if he went any lower, he wouldn't be able to stopped himself from touching her whole body. When he heard a soft moan from her, he felt encouraged and wrapped his other hand through the brown curls, licking her lips, pleading for entrance.

Just when he felt her beginning to open her mouth, there was a loud knock on the door, and he cursed all the gods for the unfairness of it all when she quickly pulled away as if burned.

AN: Sorry for the delay, real life got in the way. Reviews please!!


	24. Chapter 24

Draco at first wanted to ignore the knocking, but when he turned back, Hermione had already began turning away. He knew that they wouldn't get anywhere until whoever it was left.

He quickly stood, just taking about three long strides to reach the door. The hinges creaked and almost came apart at the force of his arm, his fangs growing in his anger. When he saw who was at the door, things didn't improve.

"My lord, I have just come to remind you that our lesson needs to start promptly at midnight tonight." Katharina said with a submissive like bow of her head, her insides thankful that she had interrupted an apparently intimate moment.

Draco just stared at her for a few seconds before he pushed her out into the hall and closed the door behind him. He pushed her against the wall, holding her a few inches from the ground.

His eyes turned into a bloody red and he was severely tempted to decapitate her. "I know this, you've told me seven times today." He hissed. "If you ever dare to come seek me out on my time again, you will regret it for the rest of your pathetic existence."

With that said, he pushed her aside and walked back into the room, instantly calmly as Hermione's scent filled his senses. He spotted her looking out the window, her arms around her middle as if she was giving herself a hug.

He slowly walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her small body. He held her tighter when he felt that she was about to fight, whispering words of affection in her ear. It always surprised him, even when they were early in their school career how petite she way, almost as if a strong push would damage her somehow.

"Why, Draco? I don't understand any of this." She whispered, her eyes closed.

"I told you already, we were meant to be. Before time was time it was destined for us to be together. Nothing could change that, and you will never be happy with anyone but me. The fastest way for us to fix this will be for you to realize that and come to me."

"And if I chose not to?" She asked, finally turning around.

"I wont speak of what might happen. I know what I saw in your eyes over this past year and you cant deny what you feel. We can make this work, I'm laying myself in front of you and you just have to trust me." Draco said, cupping her face.

"I cant just trust you. Cant you see how hard this is? How impossible a relationship between the two of us really is? We hated each other for years and now you're just barging into my life, messing everything up. I knew what I wanted to do after school ended. Everything was planned, and now, I have no idea what to do with you."

"You know what to do. You're heart tells you and if you'll just drop that wall and listen, everything will be 

clearer."

"No, I need to think. I really need to be alone now." She said, walking away from him slowly.

She walked aimlessly for about 10 minutes, thankful that no one crossed her path. She wandered downstairs and eventually came to the library. She smiled at the coincidence, her books were always there to answer her questions and see her through her problems. She walked into the room, wanting to forget for awhile.

She walked over to the bookshelves, not hearing the door opening. "Hello Hermione?" She accented for voice called out softly.

She quickly turned, as if the book that she was about to reach for had burned her hand. "Viktor." She said nervously, hoping that Draco wouldn't be nearby.

"I am sorry I wasn't there when your mother spoke to you. I couldn't believe it when she told me, but I cant wait for the plans to begin. My parents-"

"Wait, please Viktor. There was a mistake." She said softly, wanting to tell him gently. He was a good man and didn't deserve to be involve in this mess.

"What mistake could there be?"

"My mother tricked you. I'm so sorry Viktor, but it was all just a big mistake." She whispered, not wanting to look him in the eyes.

Viktor Krum was not an emotional man. He had always prided himself on being stoic but now he was losing the woman that he cared for. He could call what he felt for Hermione love, and knew that no other woman would make him feel as 'real' as she did. "Then where do we go from here? I mean, I am willing to pursue you at any pace you would like."

"No, you don't understand. My mother made me think that the contract was for another. I have deep friendly feel-"

"Is it Malfoy?"

"No, Viktor, Draco has nothing to do with this."

"Remember when we came to visit me for those few days years ago? For the first couple of days, he seemed to creep up in every conversation, not in a good way, but he was there nonetheless."

"I never planned for any of this to happen, Viktor, truly I didn't."

"I know, Hermione. But I need to ask if there is any hope for us? Is there something that I can do to win you back?"  


"I'm not a prize to be won, Viktor."

"Forgive me, I phrased it wrong. I just want to know if there is any hope for me being in your life."

"You'll always be my friend, if that's good for you."

He just nodded and stood. With a quick bow, he exited the room, not wanting to show any weak emotions in front of her.

"Mr. Krum? I wonder if I could have a word with you?" Katharina said softly from down the hall.

Hermione just looked at Viktor's retreating back, feel genuine sorrow in her heart for having hurt him. She walked over to the window, having lost her desire to read and wanted just lose herself in a void.

She turned a while later when she heard the door open, relaxing when she saw her father. "Hello love." He said with a smile.

"Daddy." She said with a smile, moving over as a clear invitation to come closer.

"I don't know if you know what's going on, but your mother is positively seething. I have to say that it is rather fun."

She told him what she knew, about the contract of the part that Jane had played in it. She cried over her feelings for Draco and Viktor, the jumbled mess that her heart had made and felt the weight slowly being lifted as her father soothed her mind with his comforting words.

"Do you love this boy, Mr. Malfoy, Hermione?" He asked gently after she had finally calmed down. "What is your first reaction to the question, not after you overanalyze it?"

"I love him, daddy. And it scares me so bad to admit it, but I love him."

"Then go with it, darling. Its time for you to show the world who Hermione Granger really is. You're old enough to have your heart put out there for someone else to love and if it does get a bit hurt, then it'll be stronger for the next time."

Hermione thought about her fathers words for several minutes, trying to organize them with her own opinions.

Richard Granger knew when her mind was made up. The tension disappeared, and a soft smile grew on her 

face. He gave her a kiss on her forehead and squeezed her shoulders and got up, exiting the room just as softly as he came.

When he looked up, he saw Draco walking towards them, his pace slowly when he saw him. As the two of them came near, he stopped. "She's vulnerable, Mr. Malfoy. She won't show it, but it's the truth, and if you harm her, then your gods have mercy on you." He said, receiving only a serious nod from the young blonde.

AN: R&R please.


	25. Chapter 25

Draco slowly entered the room, trying to think of what to say that would finally break down the wall around Hermione's heart and soul. He already knew that he could very easily and quickly win her to him by using his full powers on her, but he knew that the relationship would only be based on that, not on any real hard earned love.

He had started to see her as his only source to hold on to the rest of his humanity, refusing to let the animal in him take complete control. With her acceptance of him, he could only hope that he would live the rest of his life as normal as possible. After the war, he just wanted a peaceful life, running all the Malfoy corporations and having a few children.

He found Hermione perched on the window seat by her bed, her arms around herself and staring blankly out the window. He slowly came into the room, his heart beginning to race as he caught her scent. He felt his gums twitching as his fangs fought to be released.

He cleared his throat when she didn't acknowledge that he was drawing near. "I think we should talk." He said softly.

"What about exactly?" She asked with no real feeling.

"I don't want to make this forced Hermione. If you would only realize what I'm offering you, there'd be no question to whom you belong too."

"I 'belong' to no one, Malfoy and the sooner you 'realize' that, the better you'll be. I've been reading about vampires and I don't have to accept any proposal. The mates have their choice in who they chose. I haven't taken up your offer yet and I have a right to thin of my options."

"That is true, but the examples that were used did not take into account that I am a Malfoy. I get want I want and I want you. You're the smartest witch I've ever had the pleasure of meeting, so surely you can apprieate the risk you're putting for any other man that so much as looks at you. I went easy on Krum because I know that he is no real competition for your hand."

"You cant be serious. You'd have me enter a relationship with you because of blackmail and threats like that."

"No, its not a threat. It's a promise. I love you and you will love me in time. You will never be happy with any one else. I know its not the right way to begin our courtship, but I am a Slytherin and I'll do whatever I have to get you."

"You're forgetting who you're dealing with." Hermione replied with narrowed eyes.

"No, I know exactly. I've studied you over the years closely, 'know your enemy' and all that. I know you'll do anything for your friends."

"They are your friends now also. Are you trying to threaten me with them?"  


"Of course not. But Harry and Ron would not be allowed to come near you unless they want to risk harm to themselves. I'm telling you, Hermione- just give me a chance and this whole thing will go much easier for everyone involved."

"Then any relationship that we could have will be clouded by the fact that I didn't get a choice. I am not like those girls that you're used to- worshipping the ground you walk on and swooning whenever you lower yourself to give them so much a quick look in their direction. I want a life when all this is over. I had a plan, one that didn't include a man to complicate things."

"Then we'll alter this plan of yours. I had resigned myself into giving you up when I learned that the daywalker gene was dominate in me." Draco replied, grabbing her hands to make her come closer.

"I know I'm not the best person. I'm cruel, spoiled and all the other bad things that you can think of, but I know that I love you and every breath I take until I die will be spent in making you happy. Any differences that we have can be worked on."

Hermione knew that his words were working on her. Trying as hard as she was, she still couldn't fight the warmth that was spending throughout her body, settling on the bottom of her stomach and were there hands were joined. "I'm just so scared, Draco." She whispered.

"Its okay. I'm scared too. I don't know what's happening with the war or with anything, but I know that I love you, and that's good enough for me. I'm just asking you to try, I cant promise anything other then that I will try to make you happy.

Hermione just stared at him, trying to think of what she could do. The blonde moved a little closer to Hermione, a dark fire smoldering in his eyes, a slight red tint starting to swirl in the light blue depths. All of a sudden, she wanted to be consumed by it, to be burned alive by it, and left as nothing but quivering ash. At some dark corner of her mind, she know that she must step back, run away as fast as she could because this was only the bond between them affecting her actions, nothing else. Her eyes dropped to his mouth and she unconsciously moved closer, aware of his now hooded eyes, and the heat of his body radiating from beneath the black cashmere jumper.

It was a slow lazy kiss at first. His mouth was softer than she thought it would be. An almost inaudible sigh escaped her mouth He moved his lips against hers gently, massaging them before slightly opening his mouth and lapping at her lips with his tongue.

Hermione opened her mouth and he slid his tongue inside, running it gently over her tongue. Hesitantly, she returned the gesture. She tried as best she could to mimic what he was doing and found that she liked it. Liked the taste of him. He tasted like a hint of brandy and something sweet, chocolate perhaps.

Draco tightened his arm around her waist and deepened the kiss, thrusting his tongue into her mouth deeper and more suggestively. He felt her melt against him, a soft moan escaping her as he explored her mouth. She tasted clean, like chocolate and innocence.  


"Your hair's so soft." she whispered, her eyes full of wonder.

"I'm going to hurt you, you know. I don't want to, but when I make you mine, it'll hurt. That's the only way to truly mark you as my mate." He growled when she had to pull away for air. "I won't be able to help myself…"

"I know. I read a little about it in one of the books I borrowed." She said when her head stopped spinning.

He lowered his lips and kissed her softly on her forehead, then on each eye, on the tip of her nose, on each blushed cheek, lingered at her mouth, then moved to her neck, sucking gently. His hands cradled her head as his lips moved over her throat, up over her chin, then claimed her mouth again, gentle but growing insistent as his slid his tongue into her mouth and tangled it with hers, softly but heatedly. Hermione moved closer next to him, answering his kiss with a growing hunger of her own, it was like a slow burn, building, centered at her stomach and radiating outward. Still he kissed her, reveling in her warm mouth, his tongue filling that warmth with his own, thrusting questioningly, deepening to the point where he almost caressed her tonsils. Her breath quickened.

He was about to move her closer to him when there was a knock on the door. Draco felt Hermione mentally pulling away before she actually left his side. He just sat there on the ledge of the window while seeing her nervously run her hands through her mussed hair and her teeth biting on her swollen bottom lip.

She opened the door and he rolled his eyes when he saw his mother. He crossed legs, trying to hide the bulge in trousers and not be embarrassed in front of Hermione by his mother.

"Hello, dears." Narcissa said with a smile. She took in both teenagers' appearance and raised her delicate eyebrow at her son, noticing his posture. "Hermione, I was wondering if you'd care to join me for tea later tonight so we could have a little chat. There's a charity that I wanted to be involved in for muggle children that I wanted to go over with you."

"Of course, Narcissa. I just have to find out when my father is planning on leaving. I haven't really spent any time with him and I'd like to have a proper evening with him."

"Of course darling. The invitation is open of course. Draco dearest, I would also like to see you whenever you are free." Narcissa said, making it clear with a raised eyebrow that she knew what had happened.

Hermione closed the door behind Narcissa, thinking about what needed to be said to Draco. She slowly walked to the vanity mirror, taking in the puffy lips and the glazed look in her eyes. "I have to talk to my father. I guess I'll be seeing you later." She caught his reflection in the mirror and saw the small glimmer of fear cross his eyes.

"Don't worry. Its just like I told your mum, I wanted to spend more time with him, but things have been hectic. I'll be back later on."

Draco sighed and walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her tiny frame. "Maybe you can convince him to stay a bit longer. I know it would make you happy."  


"Maybe. I'll see how he likes the idea." She answered as she stepped away from him. She missed the slight hurt look that he gave her but felt the warmth of his lips when he kissed her left temple.

"I'll see you later, love."

AN: Sorry it took so long. Real life got in the way. A million thanks for all the reviews!


	26. Chapter 26

Hermione roamed around the house for several minutes, not knowing what to do with herself. She made her way slowly down the stairs, avoiding the voices from her friends down the hall.

When she had been pursued by Viktor, things were easier. He was from another country and her expectations weren't grand by far. She had felt the need to conform to the trend that the rest of the female population of Hogwarts and nabbed the first guy that seemed to pay attention to her.

She couldn't lie to herself and say that it didn't feel good, of course it felt nice to be noticed by the opposite sex. The innocent flirtations went on for the duration of their stay at school and then slowly tapered off through their letters. Apart from the slight thrill that she had felt at first from the attention, her mother made sure to slide little comments against the boy.

But now, things were different. She wanted to do something for herself, without the nagging voice of her mother coming to mind. She had always in mind what her mother would say to any choices that she made, whether it was academic or personal. But now, she found that it truly didn't matter, what Draco was offering her was truly a chance for a new life.

She kept on walking for a few minutes, stopping when she heard her father talking to someone by the front hall. She was wondering how she had turned around when she recognized her Arithmancy professor. She gave a small smile for one of her favorite professors and walked towards them.

"Hello, Professor Vector." Hermione said when she came over to them.

"Miss Granger! Truly a pleasure to see you again. I've just been telling your father what a model student you are."

Hermione felt a blush rush to her face at the complement. "You're very kind to say that, Professor."

"Not really, just the honest truth. I was just about to explain what Arithmancy was, would you care to join in?"

"Sure." With that, the three made there way to the sitting room.

Draco walked briskly down the halls to his mothers' room. His anger was barely being contained as he thought of the audacity of the older woman. If it weren't for her, he would most likely be claiming his mate right now, but he saw it in her eyes right away as she closed herself of to his advances.

He knocked quickly, not waiting for an answer. He found his mother over by the fireplace, a tea service set out before her.

"I knew you would run over here as soon as you could get away. Take a seat, darling. I'm guessing by your little display that a very long talk is much over due."

"I just came to ask that this little episode never happens again. I would be well within my rights to lock her up and not allow anyone to see her until I've claimed her."

"Oh yes, then by all means do that. Just know that whatever affection she displays towards you would only be because of the venom in your blood. Nothing would be more disastrous then a forced bonding."

"I would never force her into something." Draco said fiercely.

"She would have no choice but to consent with you seducing her like that."

"Are you implying that I would actually hurt my mate?"

"No, not intentionally. I'm only saying that your past record with women does not do much to encourage trust in you maintaining proper restraint."

"I want to warn you now, mother. I know how to handle my woman, I am the head of this family now and you will do as I say. Don't force me to send you away."

Narcissa just stared at her son, painfully acknowledging the great similarity between his father and the young man standing before her. She had tried her hardest to foster a respect for women and his gifted position but had sadly been pushed to the back of his mind with trying to survive his father.

"I know that if you force a bond on that girl, you'll lose her. She's not like one of your whores, if you ruin this, it will be for life." She said fiercely.

With that, Draco just stood and left the room. Somewhere in his mind, he knew that his mother had a point. He could practically smell the nerves and fear radiating from Hermione behind the kiss they shared, she had been willing, but not totally because she wanted to.

He desperately wanted to go to his bedroom and take a Poisyn potion. Since the age of 13, he and his male friends had used the potions regularly, first to enhance their parties, then they all moved on to partaking the potion several times a week to escape from the grim reality of war and dark magic.

He had read muggle alternatives like heroine and marijuana, but didn't want to deal with the extra side affects, preferring to brew his own, and supplying it to whoever wanted a few doses, in exchange of favors and information, of course.

He hadn't touch a potion or drink in months and was now starting to feel the unpleasant demands of his body. Being in charge of a financial empire, going through teenage issues, and along with everything else that that being part of Harry Potter's clique of friends, was really starting to take a toll on him. If he had slept for more then a couple of hours during the week, it was uncommon.  


In the vampire hierarchy, Katharina was just on a slightly higher level then a servant, but that didn't stop her from pushing him physically and mentally to be ready to be introduced to his grandfather in a months time, to potentially to became his heir.

His days were filled with nothing but work, a few instances of ease and fun came at the meal breaks or at the end of the day when the six teenaged residents of the house were allowed to wind down and relax.

With Hermione always on the forefront of his mind, he looked for ways to try to impress the young girl. The usual tricks that had served him so well in the past where now lost on his mate. A smirk that would have sent a normal girl in a dead faint would just make Hermione smile and shake her head. It was maddening, but also made him want to fight more for her affections.

But he was getting on better, he thought. He knew that Hermione would be his partner for life, not just some chit that would only warm his bed and provide an heir. No, he respected her mind, her courage. He lived for the smiles and gentle touches that she would grant him, holding his temper in check as best he could when she paid the same attention to one of the occasional male schoolmate passed by to visit.

But now, he knew the course to make, a plan to speed things up. He knew that he wouldn't keep his sanity for much longer unless he claimed her as his, and he intended to press forward with his suite, even if it meant using the Malfoy techniques to get his way.

Hermione left the room with a smile, her father and professor had apparently forgotten that she was in the room, so absorbed with their conversation to take much notice of her.

She walked the halls in silence once again, with a smile on her face. If she didn't know any better, she would swear that her father had been flirting with her teacher, but quickly dismissed the thought.

She walked on and on, down the narrow hallways and up rickety stairs. Not really paying attention to her surroundings as she let her mind stray to Draco. She kept her eye on the faded tapestry carpet until she collided into something large and solid, nearly sending her to the floor.

Strong arms immediately wrapped around her small waist. She gripped the arms around her, closing her eyes as a wave of dizziness swept over her. Draco's distinct cologne invaded her senses, quickly closing off the world around her.

Draco took the opportunity and bent down over her, closing in on her and sealing their mouths together. He felt her body become instantly relaxed, melting into the kiss. A small smile tugged the corners of his lips as he heard a soft moan coming from her.

Hermione couldn't even describe what exactly she was feeling at that moment. She had heard other girls throughout the years describe various kisses but this one seemed to surpass whatever had been said. She didn't realize at first that Draco had moved them until she felt the solid wall behind her, with Draco pulling at the hem of her t-shirt. She was trying to mimic his movements, something in the back of her mind seemed to be whispering what to do. She felt Draco's tongue slowly leave her month and let out a small whimper, her own tentatively following his when she felt a sharp point.

He pulled away, coming up for air when he caught the sight of her panting. Nothing had ever looked as beautiful or perfect to Draco in his entire life. He felt his fangs tart to itch and bent down lower, gently kissing and licking her where the delicate blue vain was raised.

"Draco?" Hermione said breathlessly, her hands trying tug him away a bit.

"Hmm?" His ministrations didn't stop, lowly progressing down to her cleavage.

"I don't think we should do this." She whispered, tugging on his hair a bit harder.

That immediately made him stop. He leaned over her and placed his forehead against the wall, willing with all his might that she wouldn't notice his raging erection and anger. He took a few deep breathes, focusing on his mothers advice.

"Are you angry with me?" She asked timidly.

"I can never be mad at you, love. I'm sorry, I just got a little carried away." He said with a lot more calm then he felt. He leant down and gave her a chaste kiss. And pulled away from her.

"I'm still sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for. I'll never force you into what you're not ready for. We can talk more about this later." He said, hearing the door to his mothers room open.

He turned away and walked down the hall in the opposite direction.

"Hermione dear, do you have a few minutes to have a chat?"

"Of course, Narcissa." She said with a smile, smoothing down her shirt.

The two women sat down by the fireplace, Narcissa clearing her throat and deciding to dig right in. "How are you handling everything, Hermione?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you just found out that Draco is a vampire and that you're his mate. You seem to have accepted this very well."  


"What else can I do? Draco has made it clear that he would come after me if I run away."

"Be honest with me dear, do you have any feelings for my son out of your own accord?"

"I think so. I mean, there was something there between us over the past couple of months, but there's still things that we need to talk about." Hermione said softly.

"I have a book for you to read later on if you'd like. If you have any questions about anything at all, you must know that you can come to me."

"I know, and thank you, Narcissa. That means a lot to me."

"Just remember that you have a lot of control right now over Draco. You're the person that balances him, that keeps his mind grounded. Never let him pressure you into anything that you're not ready for."

"I know. And I do have feelings for him but I need time."

"Tell me darling, are you a virgin?" Narcissa asked, the blush on the young girl face telling her the answer. "Good, that takes care of a problem that might have made a bump. Now, I'm sure you know how to protect yourself and what the limits of propriety are."

Hermione couldn't remember the last time she had ever been so embarrassed. The few things that she learned about sex were from her mother and that of course had been a terrible experience in general. As soon as dorm conversations turned into details, she had always quickly fled the room, preferring ignorance over any knowledge that could be gained. "Thanks again. I think I have to be heading out, I don't know if my mother is leaving soon and I want to talk to my father."

"Of course, dear. We'll have a chance to talk soon, I hope."

"I'd like that. See you later, Narcissa."


	27. Chapter 27

Hermione walked out of Narcissa's room, the thick book titled So you've just found out that you're a vampires mate, now what? A guide that even a Squib could follow safely under her left arm.

"There you are! We've been looking everywhere for you. Harry said that we're to start training with them if we'd like." Pansy said excitedly.

"Of course he did I mean, you'd have to be daft to not to realize that we girls are needed." Ginny said with a smile before Hermione had a chance to speak. Pansy took Hermione's arm and the three girls quickly made there way to their shared bedroom.

Pansy headed straight for the wardrobe, with Ginny sneaking into the bathroom. Hermione just walked over to her trunk, since most of her clothes were in there, neatly folded and taking up very little room. She pulled out black sweat pants, a gray t-shirt that was about four sizes too big for her and some old trainers. She quickly changed, grabbing a few pins to tie her hair back into a bun.

"What's that?" Pansy asked, her nose wrinkled and gesturing to Hermione's choice of training clothes.

"Workout clothes. I should ask the same of your choice." She replied with an arch eyebrow. Pansy had selected skin tight yoga pants and a sports bra. Nothing else.

"I think you've forgotten that three very handsome men are going to be in the same room with us, getting all sweaty and yummy. And, as your friend, I cannot allow you to walk out of the room dressed like that."

"Whatever she said, I second." Ginny said, walking out of the bathroom with a large towel wrapped around her.

Twenty minutes later, all three were ready, surprisingly dressed very similarly. Ginny and Pansy had transfigured her sweats into black yoga pants, a snug skin colored sports bra under a tight white tank top and strapped ballet flats.

After much protest and hand pulling, they were finally at the 4th floor training area. The three girls quietly entered the room, mouths dropping as they saw what was going on.

Harry, Ron and Draco were moving in a triangle clockwise, two curved swords in each hand. All three were shirtless and sweaty, a few fresh cuts were littering their arms and faces. Every few seconds, one would attack the others, all the while still maintaining the formation.

In a quick sudden move, Draco managed to kick Ron's legs from under him, the tip of his right sword against the redheads neck and disarm Harry of both his swords, ending in a striking stance, the left sword directly over Harry's heart.

"Well done, Mr. Malfoy!" Came a voice from the other side of the room. Remus Lupin walked forward, a gently smile on his face.

As the boys broke apart and headed towards the table with bottles of water, Ron was the first to notice their arrival. "Hey guys." He called out, a bit out of breath. Harry and Draco turned around, eyes glazing as they saw what the girls were wearing.

Harry could always admit to saying that Hermione was a beautiful girl, anyone who ever said different in front of him would get a rather nasty hex in their direction. In all the years that they had known each other, Harry and Ron had only seen her dressed so femininely a few dozen times, mostly on the days that Draco was certain to be joining them. But now, the tight clothing that she had on was putting on display all the assets that Harry would have had denied that she had filled out, after all she was like a sister to him and that would be just gross. But now, judging by Draco's open mouth, he would have to have a little chat with the blond on the proper way to treat his best friend.

Draco felt as if his whole body was on fire. It was as if he had been starving since his turning, his fangs broke through and he began to step towards his mate.

The only thing that stopped him was the nervous smile and look on Hermione's face. He calmed down and returned her smile, also casting a disapproving glance at Pansy's lack of clothing.

"Ah, ladies, glad you could join us. I've requested the help of Professor Vector to help with your hand to hand combat training. She should be here any second."

"Actually, I left her with my father, Professor. Just a little while ago. She should be here any minute now." Hermione called out, casting a quick glance at Draco. For a young man to have a body like that, It should have been a crime to cover it up with layers of clothing, she thought, blushing up to her ears and quickly vanished the thought.

"All right. Why don't you girl go over to the wall and start picking out weapons that you would feel comfortable with." Remus said, pointing towards the left. The wall in questions ahead several different type of swords, daggers, and dozens of other dangerous looking weapons that they had never seen before.

"If she gets hurt, in any way, you become my enemy. I'm a Malfoy, Harry, I could cause you so much pain that you would beg me to be a kind as the Dark Lord. Just keep that I'm mind." Draco whispered harshly into his friends ear before making his way over to his mate.

Draco just stood back a few feet away and watched as she lightly ran her fingers over a double tipped dagger. "Good choice. Attack front to back with minimal effort." He said quietly into her ear. He smirked as she inhaled and closed her eyes.

"I know." She whispered. She gently shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts.

"Can I come see you tonight? There's so much we need to talk about and its hard to get some private time in a house like this." He whispered, wrapping an arm around her tiny waist to keep him next to his body for a few extra seconds.

"Your mother said-"

"Please don't listen to my mother too much. I swear that my intentions are purely honorable. Its just that things are so out of control right now and we never have a few minutes to just stop and talk alone. You're my mate and we've haven't even spent that much together and its killing me."

"Ok, fine. Lets just go, Harry is starring and Ron is bound to come over." She replied, her heart skipping when he saw the smile that he gave her.

Three hours later found Hermione finally collapsing. Pansy had given up about an hour ago, deciding to be the cheerleader and moved across the room to sit by the door. Ginny had been knocked out half an hour ago, a sharp blow with a long wooden spear.

Hermione laid there panting, trying to catch her breath, making a mental note of all aches and pains. That last blow would surely have broken skin.

"Very well done, Hermione." Professor Vector said with a warm smile.

"Ward the room. Draco might smell the blood." Hermione said suddenly.

"Why would we do that?"

"I have to be bleeding. Draco wont handle it very well, I think."

"Hermione, there's no blood yet. The weapons are spelled to make you feel pain, not actually have the wounds. This was only your first session with the weapons, so I wanted to go easy on you girls."

"Easy? Easy went out the door as soon as we picked up these things." Pansy grumbled from her spot on the floor.

"I second her opinion." Ginny said with a tired smile from her spot.

"Now, girls. It wasn't that bad. The boys are having it much worse then you already. Come complaining when the spells come off and you really start feeling it." The older woman said, waving her wand around the room to straighten up.

Hermione just closed her eyes, the aches and pains were slowly easing, and she had finally regained her breath. She was curious at what her professor had said and picked up her dagger. She ran the tip across her palm, wondering what type of spell was being used as she felt the pain, but not as bad as it should have been and without blood.  


"Well if you girls hurry now, you guys can grab a quick shower before dinner." Professor Vector said.

With much groans and pulling, the three girls left the room and made their way slowly downstairs. They took turns using the bathroom quickly, they each got ready with plenty of time to spear. Hermione called out that she was going to go help Molly in the kitchen and left her two friends to finish with their makeup.

Down the hall, she saw her mother, red faced and dragging a trunk behind her. "Do you need help?" Hermione asked shyly.

"No. After today, you can consider me dead now. I refuse to have anything to do with you and your mistakes. Just remember this moment in a few years when you're saddled with a few bastards and a divorce. That's the only way I see this going." She said harshly.

"No, mother. I'm going to give this a try and if I fail, then I'll deal with it as it comes. But I'll try to be happy while I'm doing it." With that, Hermione kept on walking down the halls. She knew that she had just made a huge turn in her life.

She walked into the narrow kitchen, smiling when she saw Molly Weasley puttering about the kitchen, spoons stirring themselves and a few knives chopping vegetables.

"Need a hand?"

"Hermione dear, would you get the roasts out of the oven?"

Hermione walked over to the large stove. Levitating the large pans and setting them down on top of the rack. "Can I ask you something, Molly?" She said suddenly.

"Of course, dear. Ask me whatever you'd like." Molly answered, turning to face the younger woman.

"Do you have any regrets?" Hermione asked, nervously twisting a wash cloth in her hands.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you're brilliant with all these house spells and healing and everything. I just wanted to really know if being a stay at home mother was rewarding enough for you."

Molly took her arm and lead her over to small table. They both sat down and Molly looked at the young girl. She considered Hermione like another daughter and knew from where this question was coming from. Over the past few weeks, she had noticed the shy looks and smiles between Draco and Hermione. "For me, I would not change a single thing. If you want to ask me for advice, I don't want you to tiptoe around the question."

"All right. I was just thinking that I might be starting a thing with Draco soon and I was just wondering how to keep being myself when I'm in a couple. I've never done this before." Hermione asked, looking down at her 

folding hands.

"Dear, you're so young. You don't have to have all the answers and fit into the mold of a perfect relationship."

"But for the first time in my life, I have no clue on what to do. There's no book or reference guide that I can read to help me go through all this."

"Which is a good thing too, dear. No two relationships are ever the same. The best thing to do is to follow you're instinct and just go ahead and do what you please. My parents were furious at first when I started to see my Arthur, but look how that turned out."

"I think that's what I'm doing now. I'm just scared that its all going to blow up in my face."

"Then if it does, we'll all be here for you to pick up the pieces and get like new again. Besides, Draco is a very smart lad, he must know of all the boys that will go after his blood if he hurts you."

"Thanks Molly." Hermione said with a smile. She leaned over and gave the woman a tight embrace, standing a going over to get the silverware.

"Any time dear."

Draco took the green potion vile from his night stand and uncorked it with his teeth. He walked over to his wardrobe and braced himself as he chugged the awful tasting liquid. He closed his eyes when he felt the usual wave of dizziness pass him and breathed a sigh of relief.

Severus had always made sure to that he was well supplied with his blood potion since his inheritance so that he wouldn't be overwhelmed if their was blood spilled during the training sessions. Of course it tasted foul, but until he could be confident in his control, he would need to be taking the potion.

He opened his dresser, browsing through all the shirts. Harry and Ron still teased him about all the clothes that he had brought over in his shrunken trunks. The other two boys had managed to fit all their clothing into their trunks, just picking whatever was semi-clean and not that wrinkled.

He picked the Weasley jumper that Molly had given him for his birthday with a smile. For all the jokes and thoughts on them during the last few years, it had to be the softest, lightest piece of clothing that he owned. He decided to forego the shoes and just pushed back his hair, remembering how much Hermione favored it what it was a little messy.

He followed his nose to the kitchen, just leaning against the door jam as he watched Hermione set the table 

and putter around the kitchen. He fell even more in love with her domesticity of the scene. He could very easily stretch his imagination in seeing her with a baby bump and just thought that he better convince her to bond with him, if only for the sake of his sanity.

"Can I help with anything?" He said with a smirk when he saw Hermione blush when she spotted him.

"Why don't you round up everyone and get them down here." Molly said, not turning from the sink.

With a small wave of his right hand, Draco summoned a small bird, seemingly out of fire. Hermione walked over, clearly impressed with his show of wandless magic. "Careful, it stings a bit." Draco said with a small smile.

"Go tell everyone that dinner is ready." Draco said in front of the bird.

"What is that?"

"A little spell I came up with when I was feeling too lazy to get up and call my friends over. If they don't listen in the first five seconds, they get a rather nasty little sting on the arse."

"Draco, darling I made a bit of roast a touch more rare just how you like it. Just tell me where you're sitting so I can make sure to fix you the plate properly."

"I'll be next to Hermione, if that's ok with her."

"Sure, that's fine." Hermione said with a blush when they both looked at her.

Fifteen minute later, the dinning room become a very loud mess hall. About six different conversations were going on, with most people involved in half of them at the same time. Hermione had never had such a pleasant meal. every few minutes, Draco would run the back of his hand against her, or lean back and put his arm behind her chair, letting his finger brush over her shoulder for a few seconds.

Draco pushed his plate away, his second helping of chocolate and peanut butter pie had been his undoing and he was feeling pleasantly bursting. Not even his most loyal house elf could make a meal as good as that no matter how hard they tried.

To his left, he saw Hermione sneaking glances at her father and professor Vector. The two older people had mostly been in private conversation the whole night, and from the looks of it Hermione seemed happy at the obvious flirtation. His mother was showing amazing restraint for having her mate Kinsley their so close and they seemed to be on good terms. He could only hope that now with his father soon to be out of the way, they would be able to make peace and bond.  


The group had the dinning room and kitchen clean in a few minutes, with much laughter and pranks, or course, but the adults decided to take some tea in the library and the teenagers went about upstairs.

Draco caught up to Hermione as she said goodnight to her father, holding her small hand in his. "Can I come to your room in a bit?" He asked quietly.

"Um, are you sure that's a good idea? I mean, if your mother found out, she would be upset." Hermione said, blushing right up to her roots.

"Please? I promise all we'll do is talk, but I just have to spend some time with you." Draco whispered, pulling them both into another room when he heard Ginny's voice approaching.

"Ok, but if I say you need to go, you leave."

"Promise. I'll be there as soon as I can, just keep your curtains closed." He replied, kissing her as deeply as he dared without upsetting her and without a word was gone, plans for that night already forming in his head.

AN: See, I didn't make y'all wait forever. Thanks a mill for all the reviews, especially Citten-hope this makes it feel better. This isn't beta'd so sorry for the mistakes. R&R pleeeeaaasssssssssseeeeeeee!!


	28. Chapter 28

It was almost midnight by the time Draco was able to make his way over to the girls room. At the last minute, an owl had arrived for him for one of his solicitors that needed his immediate attention and he had just finished sending the reply owl. He knew that Harry was already asleep, having sent a quick goodnight to Ginny. He had lost track of Ron a while ago but wasn't worried about the redhead.

He slowly crossed the hall, mindful to avoid the creaking right floorboard. Concentrating on his whole body and breathing, he slowly transformed into a light fog, his favorite newly acquired power and slipped under the door. He followed Hermione's scent and materialized in front of the closed drapes.

Hermione was reading the book that Narcissa had given her, finding some interesting things that she would ask Draco or Narcissa when she had a chance. She was turning the page when she saw something pop up out of the corner of her eye. Instantly, her hand shot under her pillow, grabbing the wand and taking aim.

"Good. Although, the wand should be next to you, not under. Can I come closer?" He said softly.

"You've been a lot closer to me then now and never asked that before." She replied, scooting over anyway to give him room.

"I know, but we've never been in such an intimate setting before. You're my mate, my woman, I need to know that you trust me enough to be this close to you and control myself."

"Ok. I trust you." She said, her eyes wide as Draco shed his robe and stood before her in black silk pajama pants and a tight white undershirt. He slipped into the bed, as if he had been doing it all along and laid on his side, his head propped up in his left hand.

"So, what are you reading?" He asked, grabbing the book from her hand.

"Your mother gave that to me this afternoon."

"Well, I don't want you reading this stuff. it's a bunch of trash and if you need to know anything, it should come directly from me." He replied, tossing the book on the carpet. "So, what is it that seemed so interesting?"

"I just want to know what we might be getting into? I mean, if we do start a relationship-"

"Stop right there. There is no 'if' in this relationship. It is only a question of when you wish to formally admit to your feelings for me."

"Draco, I don't even know if I even want to be in a relationship with anyone, we are still so young and involved in this war."

"Have you ever just laid back, closed your eyes and just thought things out. C'mon, lie here with me and lets just relax for a minute. Don't think of anything but just clear you're mind of all thoughts and things will be clearer."  


Hermione just raised an eyebrow when Draco moved to lie down flat on his back. Putting his hands behind his head, he closed his eyes, his breath evening out after a few seconds. She couldn't believe that he was actually doing it and after a minute of just starring at him, with a huff, she made herself comfortable and mirrored his position.

At first, she just thought how silly this was, always hating to waste any time at all, this just seemed pointless, but then she decided to just try things his way. At first, she couldn't think of anything but the fact that she had Draco-a boy-in her bed. The body next to her was crowding the large bed, making the masculine presence very noticeable.

She forced herself to calm down, feeling as they were the only two people in the world. The feeling didn't scare her anymore and she accepted it. After a few seconds, she felt as if someone was in her head, not a voice or anything as solid as that, but something was definitely there.

When she was about to ask Draco, he just simply said "Relax." and so continued to try to find out what exactly was going on. Suddenly, she saw what could only be a very young version of Draco, perhaps around the age of five, standing stiffly, reciting something in a different language that sounded almost German to an ancient looking man.

She sat up quickly, taking great gulps of air. "What did you see?"

"You. When you were a little boy." She replied, turning towards him.

"Good. You need to learn to trust me. If I say to relax, you should automatically do it."

"I'm no some little puppet that you can control."

"Not a puppet, love. My mate, and as such, you should not be fighting what has been naturally ingrained in your system. This whole little rebellious thing is only going to cause us time."

"Do not talk to me like that." Hermione said, narrowing her eyes.

"Like what? You're the one taking a sassy tone with me."

"Like I'm beneath you. If we do end up together, then I want to be your equal."

"We are not built to be equals, Hermione. It wouldn't work that way. Nature made you depend on me. It might take some time, but the more we are together, the more you will realize this. You need to understand that this does not make you weaker, just different.

"When we have our children, you'll see. By then, things will be second nature to you." Draco said, pulling her down to lay up close with him.

"This isn't going as well as I wanted this conversation to be. I don't want to fight with you."

"I don't know how to do this Draco." Hermione whispered.

"Me neither. I've never been in a serious relationship, and coming into my inheritance doesn't help much. I don't deserve you Hermione, I know that. But no one will ever love you as much as I do, I can promise you that. And I swear on our future children that I'll try my damn best to make sure you're happy and don't regret your life with me. Our life will be good, Hermione. Just learn to trust in this."

"And if it doesn't work out? We've been friends for only a few months and if this relationship doesn't work, it'll make things tense."

"Don't ruin our bond before it fully forms. This will be fine, Hermione. We'll take it one day at a time. I love you so much, Hermione. I've loved you since the first time I saw you, I just didn't know it yet. I was going to tell you when we met up by the lake on the last day of school, but I was nervous."

"The infamous Draco Malfoy nervous? I cant believe it." Hermione said with a grin.

"I've changed so much in such a short time. And its all thanks to you." With that, he bent his head and placed a gentle kiss on her lips, with no intention other than to thank her for even breathing on him.

Hermione just smiled as the kiss ended. "So we're really going to do this? Risk our friendship for a chance to date."

"It's not a risk. You'll see, time will tell. And when we are old and gray, with dozens of grandchildren and great grandchildren, I'm going to remind you of this conversation."

Hermione laughed a bit at that, secretly loving how easily she fit against his side. She had always been a little self-conscious over her 5'2" frame, since all her friends now seemed to tower over her, but in this position, it was perfect.

"We have so much to talk about. So many decisions to make about what we plan on doing."

"Lets just relax tonight. I'm exhausted and we'll have time to talk soon." Hermione said after another yawn.

"I'll make you happy, Hermione. I promise." Draco whispered into her temple. He just laid there, trying to commit the smell of flowers and vanilla, marveling at how soft the curls felt against his skin. A few minutes later, he knew that she was deeply asleep, her breathing was slow and even and she rested completely on him.

He took the opportunity to try out something that he had briefly read in a book. He slowly rolled her onto her back, resisting taking advantage of her weaker position and concentrated. He slowly moved his hand towards her lower stomach, trying to feel the sensation that had been described. He was supposed to get a feeling, similar to a prediction, on how many children they would have. He could feel nothing at all, and he knew that 

it couldn't be. He wanted to have many children, recalling how lonely his childhood was, he didn't want it repeated. He frowned slightly, there was no sudden feeling like he thought that was supposed to come out.

It just wasn't possible for her to have any physical problems, being a mate made her body ready to bear his children since he came to his inheritance. It greatly bothered him that so many weeks had passed and he had yet to claim her and make her pregnant.

He knew things would have to move faster. Mating season was almost upon them and he couldn't see himself forcing her to bond. The only choice was to spend as much time with her as possible in hopes to erase her caution over the relationship. He didn't want to resort to using his gifts to win her, he had had true feelings for her for so long that he honestly felt that coming into his inheritance would only prove the fact that they were meant to be together, wizard or vampire blood aside.

He remembered praying for the first time in his life a few months before his coming of age that his mate would wind up being Hermione. He had had a long standing crush on the girl, mistakenly taking out his frustrations on her and her friends, but now he ha his opportunity to fulfill his deepest desires.

He was desperately trying to commit to memory ever detail of this night, wanting to have this image forever. He could imagine her filling the manor with their children, the large Malfoy estate being full of light and laughter.

He laid his head next to her, smiling to himself at the faint small of her perfume on pillow. He shifted when he felt something hard under his head. He slowly maneuvered an arm and groped around, pulling out a book. Out came a large but thin leather bound book, surprisingly heavy for its size. The light blue leather was decorated with small embroidered flowers all over. In gold thread in the middle of the cover was the words 'Dreams and Thoughts'.

He had seen the book often over the past years. Whenever he was spying on her alone in the library, he would see her writing in the same book. After their friendship developed, he would see her sneak off to the lake or somewhere private to do the same. Being a Slytherin, he of course saw the opportunity to learn more about her and with a few waves of his hand made a duplicate copy and shrunk it down to fit in his pocket. Replacing the book under the pillow, he squashed the guilty feeling coming from his stomach at the invasion of privacy, hoping that this book would contain some clues for him.

Ginny tiptoed across the hall to go into the boys' room, wincing after every tiny sound, hoping that Ron was still a heavy sleeper, but judging from Pansy's empty bed, she didn't think her brother was alone. She silently went over to Harry's bed, climbing in and closing the curtains behind her.

"You know, if Ron catches us, he'll probably skin me alive and make you watch." Harry said after placing a 

silencing charm around them with a wave of his hand. He moved over and made room for Ginny, smiling back at her.

"Well, there must be a charm to put it back on. Besides, I'll curse him if he some much as touch a cute and wild hair on your body. And I happen to like your skin just the way it is."

Harry just pulled her closer, loving the way she always smelled like chocolate and flowers. "You know, I wonder what would be worse, Ron or Molly."

"Well, I think mom would calm down after a bit, you know she already thinks of you as a son and all that. Seeing us together would make her happy. After she satisfied her killing and maiming thing of course."

After a few minutes of holding each other, Harry pulled away a bit. "Gin, if something happens to me-"

"Oh don't you start that garbage again. You'll be fine. All the training and everybody fighting with us will make sure of that. I love you, you idiot and if don't stop all this nonsense, I'll kill you myself." Ginny said fiercely, leaning down and kissing him deeply.

One kiss lead to many, both of them pulling away from each other with less clothes then when they started. Ginny's thin gray camisole was straining, her breath coming out in pants. Harry couldn't tear his eyes off her chest, feeling incredibly male and animalistic at the moment in being the reason for her current state of arousal.

"I love you too, Gin. And I feel like an idiot right now but I have to say that we should slow down here for a second. Any more of this and I cant be held responsible for what I'll do. And I respect you too much to take advantage of you like that."

"And that just makes me love you even more." She whispered with a smile, shifting off him and kissing him gently. "I just need a little more time."

"I'd wait forever for you. You waited for me all those years when I was being a moron, and now I'd do anything for you."

"I just want you to live. Stop acting like you're going to die at any moment. None of this is easy, for any of us. You're here for us all, but we're also here for you, don't shut out that very thing that's going to win this war."

AN: Sorry for the long wait. Things are calm cross my fingers and I see no more interruptions. R&R PLLEEEEEAAAAASSSSSSSSSSEEEEEEEEE!!


	29. Chapter 29

Hermione woke up when she hard a small thump coming from Pansy's side of the room. She rolled her eyes at Ron's clumsiness, as Ginny and herself were beginning to become used to him coming and going from her bed at all hours of the night. As she settled down again, she suddenly remembered what had happened last night and who was still in her bed.

The early morning light was dimly seeping through the curtains, giving her enough light to get a good look at her sleeping bedmate. It was extremely rare to see Draco so at ease, even when they were just mucking about in the den.

He face really reminded her of a painting that she had seen a few years ago. She couldn't really remember the title or even the artist, but she had thought about a fallen angel at the time. Draco was that personified. The angular features had softened a touch since his birthday, but were still sharp, but his hair and coloring gave him an almost other worldly appearance.

She wanted to study him, but didn't feel to comfortable on the intrusion of privacy. The dizziness that would usually overcome her when Draco was near wasn't strong now, only a need to be as close to him as possible. She laid her head gently back on his chest, feeling his left hand move as if to make sure she was still there.

At first, she marveled at how warm he was, like a soothing warmth that was perfect for cuddling down to. She closed her eyes and then she began to hear a heartbeat. It shocked her at how slow it was. About twice as slow as normal and she laid there, listening to the slow and steady beat.

"It slowed about a week after I changed." Draco said with a husky voice.

"Are we really doing this? I mean, I don't want our friendship to suffer if this doesn't work out."

Draco just pulled himself up against the headboard, pulling her along with him. After a bit of maneuvering, he had her facing him, sitting Indian style on his thighs. "This isn't some little game, Hermione. We belong to each other. I feel the link to me beginning to wake up but you keep on suppressing it. Our love is the only thing that is keeping me sane right now. I've loved you for so long, before this year, even. I just confused hate with love but its been you for so long."

"And how do you know that you're now confusing with friendship with love. I mean, maybe since you see Ginny with Harry and Pansy with Ron, I'm the only one that's free."

"If I could just describe what I feel for you, you wouldn't question my feelings."

"I'm just scared, Draco."

"Don't be. There's nothing to be scared of. You'll see, in time, you will let your instinct take over and it will all be second nature for you. We'll be happy together. I promise you."

With that, he pulled her closer, placing gentle kisses all over her face, trying to draw out her playful side. After a few minutes, he bent his head and kissed her, right between her ear and the start of her neck. Draco 

gently nipped at her there, and when he heard the sweet tiny whimper from her mouth, he applied more pressure, trying to finally seduce her.

"Hermione! Come on, wake up! We have to beat the boys to breakfast!" Came Ginny's voice from outside of her bed. Hermione immediately pulled away, running her hands franticly over her face and hair.

"Calm down. Just go get ready. I'll transfigure my clothes and freshen up with a charm and meet you downstairs." Draco whispered, kissing her gently on the lips and helping her stand. He laid back and listened to the chatter. He frowned as he heard Pansy talk about Ron coming to her at night, from the sound of things, it was as if this had been going on for a while.

He smiled when he heard Ginny ask why she was so flushed. "I think someone had a nice dream about a certain blonde that's mad about her." Pansy's voice sang out with a smile from a farther corner in the room.

"Oh stop it. Lets just go. I'm starved." Hermione replied and ushered the two out the room.

Hermione walked down to the kitchen with her friends, trying her hardest to pay attention to what Pansy but her thoughts kept her from paying attention. It was as if she had left her heart and mind back in the bed, and she smiled to herself.

She had never felt this happy, this alive. She could swear that she still felt Draco's lips on hers, that his warm arms were still holding her. The lightheadedness was still there now, but she basked in it, welcoming the feelings that were now emerging for the first time in her life. Now she knew what Ginny and Pansy were talking about when they spoke about Harry and Ron.

When they were downstairs, helping Molly set up the table, she felt Draco before she heard him come in, a blush spreading across her face. She stood motionless, unable to move as Draco slowly walked over to her, reminding her of a white tiger coming in for a kill. With a smirk, he whispered a gentle 'Good morning' and kissed her gently, right on the lips, in front of her friends.

The reaction was almost immediate. She saw Ron hand over some galleons to Harry, Pansy and Ginny asked different questions, pulling her away from the boy and talking all at once. "Now, now I want everybody sitting at the table and eating in five seconds or there will be no breakfast. I'm sure once you all have your bellies full, you can discuss things calmly." Molly said over the voices.

Things immediately settled, the threat of no food quickly shutting their mouths, even wiping the smirk from Draco's lips.

He sat down next to her as always, but placing his right hand gently on her thigh. He smiled sideways at her 

before giving her leg a gentle squeeze. He calmly placed his napkin on his own lap, grabbing at the serving dish of scrambled eggs that Harry and Ron weren't currently attacking. One of the things that she really liked about him was how impeccable his manners were, even after hanging around Harry and Ron, who seemed to be competing on who could shove the most food the fast into their mouths.

With much blushing, Hermione tried to explain what was now happening, Draco quickly spoke up "Hermione and I are together now. I expect us all to be adults about this and let us have our privacy."

With that, the other four teenagers quieted down to the normal conversation of everyday. Occasionally, Draco would touch her, on the thigh, neck, or shoulder, as if assuring her he was right there with her.

Narcissa walked in well into breakfast, her eyes taking in how much closer her son was sitting to his mate. Her eyes brightened when he saw the look that they shared, it was only a few seconds, but she knew that look, the same look that she and Kingsley used to share so many years ago.

With a small smile beautifully gracing her face, she settled down next to Molly and joined the conversation, sneaking spying glances at the new couple.

Things were progressing quite nicely, she thought to herself, focusing on the new healing spells that Molly was talking about.

AN: Sorry this is so short; I wanted to get something posted because I got such ridiculously awesome reviews. Anyone know what to do to get rid of morning sickness? I've tried everything and I'm starting to lose weight and its getting crazy. Next update will be up on Wednesday, cross my heart! R&R please!


	30. Chapter 30

Draco kept his eyes on Ron throughout the coming week. He was beyond pissed as he finally noticed the relationship between Pansy and him. He had tried to corner Pansy, giving her hints to get her to confess, but like a true Slytherin, she had evaded him. Every night when he was lying next to Hermione, he awoke in time to hear Ron quietly leave the room.

He made himself responsible for his friend, the only true friend that he had had in his house that he could trust unconditionally. When they had decided to leave the dark shadows of their fathers, he had assumed the role of head of the family for her and his mother, taking on the financial and mental burdens of taking care of a teenaged girl was difficult, and he wanted to remain on good terms with Ron, but if this relationship was as deep as he suspected, then words would need to be exchanged.

All this thinking was exhausting. He was already stretched thin as it is. He had daily training with Harry and Ron, the lessons increasing in difficulty each day. He was grasping to reign in all the business dealing of the Malfoy family, separating what was legitimate and what was dark, dissolving those shady deals immediately. He was also helping Snape brew medical potions, mostly doing the bulk of the work himself, Hermione occasionally coming in to help.

Hermione was the one bright spot in his life at the moment. Every night that week, he would crawl into her bed after his lessons with Katharina and be welcomed with a smile that melted his heart every time he saw it. Their relationship was progressing, slowly, but it was getting better. She was still embarrassed with anything physical, but she accepted his kisses and caresses, stopping when things were too intimate for her. I was incredibly frustrating, but he had promised to take things at her pace.

"Pans, can I have a word with you, please?" Draco called out, not missing the look between her and Ron. He led the girl to the den, deciding that this was cozy enough to put her at ease.

"Now, I want to know what's going on with you and Ron."

"Then I think I should ask the same of you and Hermione." Pansy said, tensing up.

"Pans, this is me. I just want to know what is going on with you two."

"I know what I'm doing Draco, so don't go all Daddy on me."

"No because if 'Daddy' had found out what you two have been doing, you both would have been dead."

"Draco, please let me have this." Pansy said, calming down and trying to appeal to his softer side. She knew that Draco had soft spot for her.

"Pansy, after all this is over, what will happen to you if Ron doesn't propose marriage? How am I to take offers from other men if your name has been dragged through the mud."

"Oh please, you think that I don't know what all the boys have said about me? 'The Snakes Whore' was one of the least colorful names that they've all called me."  


"Yes, but that could and been fixed with a simple spell to check your virginity. And with a hefty dowry, you could have had a very comfortable life."

"A comfortable life without love?"

"I remember when we believed love was just a myth."

"Is that what you still believe now? What about Hermione?"

"Its different with Hermione and I. It was always destined."

"Then why cant it be destined for Ron and I?" Pansy said, walking over to the armchair that Draco occupied. She knelt on the floor, laying her head on his lap and hugging his calves. "I love him, Draco. I truly think I do. He's unlike anyone I've ever met and I know he loves me too."

"Are you sure?" Draco asked gently, twirling a few stands of dark hair in his fingers.

"He hasn't said it yet, but I know he does, I feel it." Pansy said with a smile, knowing from the tone of his voice she was forgiven.

"If he breaks your heart, I'll be forced to ruin him. I don't want to do that. I consider these people my friends, but you're like my sister. Don't make me chose."

Hermione quickly put away her journal when she heard Draco's quiet footsteps approaching. She moved over to make room for him, making sure her pajama shorts weren't riding up.

"Hi." She said quietly with a smile, a blush gracing her cheeks when he leaned over her and gave her a chaste kiss on her lips.

"Hi." He answered back, shedding his robe and climbing into the bed. "I received an owl from my grandfather today."

"Your grandfather?" Hermione asked, folding her legs under herself and turning to face him.

"Actually, he's more like my Great-great-great-great grandfather or something like that. He wanted to congratulate me on my inheritance, and to ask that I bring you to meet him."

"Why would he want to meet me?"

"I'm apparently his closest heir. That's the stupid reason for the crash course in how to be a vampire."

"What does that mean? is he some type of business man?"

"No, he's our leader. The Tsar of the Daywalkers." Draco replied, pulling her to lie next to him.

"So, are you to be the next ruler person?"

"I don't know yet. Maybe I might take a more active rule in the government, but nothing is decided yet. He only wants to get to know me right now." Draco gave her a kiss on her forehead, wanting to calm the fears that he was beginning to feel from her.

"You seem tense." Hermione said softly after a few minutes.

"This is the only place where I can be myself. You're like my secret place, where I don't have to be on guard all the time, where I don't have to think about things at the drop of a hat. Its like you don't expect all the answers from me."

"I want you to be happy Draco, that's all I really need. I just want to have whatever a normal relationship is with you."

"I have a gift for you." He said suddenly. He dug into his pants and retrieved a small green velvet box. "Now, don't complain until you see it."

Hermione gave him a warning look and opened the box. At first, she thought that her eyes must be playing a trick on her. Nestled inside were a pair of earrings. Not just any earrings, but with large emeralds and dropped pearls.

"I just saw them in the vault the last time I went and thought they would look nice on you, you know a little green here and there would boast my little pride, especially if it comes from me."

"Draco, it's beautiful, truly, but I cannot accept this."

"What are you talking about? I wanted to give you a gift and of course you should take it."

"Draco, if I wear this, others might think that I've done something to deserve this."

"Of course you have, you're my mate, for that reason alone I should give you everything that you have ever wanted."

"Draco, this is too much. Don't you think that I would feel the same way if you were poor? You don't need to buy my affection for you Draco."

"Hermione, I just want to give you this gift. You saying that my money doesn't mean much to you means so 

much to me. I know that this little trinket doesn't mean much to you, and I knew it when I picked it out. Just please take it, you don't have to wear it, just know that it is just a little proof of my love for you, since you wont allow me to physically show you."

"Draco, please don't start that again. I-"

"I'm not putting pressure on you or anything, I'm just grasping at straws here. I'm trying my hardest to drown out my instincts to claim you, the fact that I've know you're my mate for this long and not pregnant is killing me right now. I'm trying to court you in the proper fashion. I know that others my think that I'm this dark being now, not human. But I promise you that I'm trying my hardest not to fall to my basic needs."

"I'm sorry Draco, I truly am but-"

"But nothing. I've told you I wouldn't put pressure on you. I am quite happy to just spend time with you, laying in bed with you, getting to know who you truly are has been the greatest pleasure of my life so far. The only thing that can be better is when you're carrying my children, when we can finally be a family."

"Children? You'd want to have more then one?" Hermione said with a smile.

"Yes. As many as you would give me. Maybe even enough to have our own Quidditch team?" Draco said with a grin.

Hermione just sat there, not knowing what to say for a few seconds. She had always hated the fact that she was an only child, and had always dreamed of having a large brood of her own, not unlike the Weasley family.

She lunged at him, holding onto this shoulders as hard as she could, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. She felt his arms go around her, gentle as ever and knew that she truly loved him. It wasn't an emotion that was new, it was something that had been there for months, maybe longer but just confused and now she reveled in it wholeheartedly.

"I-I love you, Draco." She whispered, and for the first time, she placed a gentle kiss on his lips.

Draco was floored. He himself had always wanted a large family, and when he read in her diary that that was her wish also, he was elated. But this was a much more pressing matter; he was always the one to initiate any physical contact, and she simply responded up to a certain point, so this kiss meant the world to him. He was finally being loved in return, the words making it even more special, more tender memories to now hold in his heart.

He wanted to deepen the kiss, but the door to the room suddenly burst open, Harry came up to the middle of the room, red faced and panting. "We need to move, Hogsmead was just attacked."

AN: Thank a million for all the reviews. The tips all helped too. For the first time in a couple of days I can keep stuff down. The hubby thanks y'all too since he could get a couple of hours of sleep now. He's handle pretty well for someone who has never seen me sick in our 8 years together and had me go to the emergency room for stepping on a thumbtack a few years ago. Anyways, thanks again and until next time!


	31. Chapter 31

Draco and Hermione made their way quickly downstairs, catching up to Harry before he went into the den. Most of the order was already gathered, several newspaper copies littering the coffee table.

"Alright, everyone listen up!" Kingsley shouted out.

Draco quickly looked over at his mother, who was just staring intently at the black auror. He knew how painful it must be for her to endure being so far from him at the moment, mentally commending her control.

"We have 15 injured wizards and witches, three of them ours, and one death, a old wizard from Knockturn Alley that we're still trying to identify. The deatheaters were gone before we even got there, about 20 of them apparated in and out, there only purpose was to cause as much destruction as possible in under two minutes."

"He's got nothing to lose now. He's mad, and now things wont have a pattern or meaning. He's in this to kill." Draco spoke up, looking towards Harry.

The dark haired boy just nodded. "We need to end this as soon as possible. We need to get all who support us trained and go on the offense. This defensive stance that we've been taking is obviously not working."

"I was thinking along the same lines, my dear boy. I have a plan. Hagrid will call out to the giants that were sympatric before. Remus, you have your werewolf contacts and the letter I wrote to them. We have the ministry finally with us, although I think its best to keep them at arms length.

"Draco, you would be the biggest part of us being able to gather our forces. If you could convince some of the Daywalkers to our side, it would give us an incredible advantage, even more so if he calls up inferari."

"I'll try to speak to my grandfather. He's their leader and might here me out." Draco replied, noticing the slight way her body tensed.

"In the mean time, I think its time for us to step up the training a bit. You six, lessons start tomorrow at 7:00 am."

"Now wait just a minute! Why are you always so quick to send them out to do the dangerous things. These are children!" Molly exclaimed loudly, standing up and slamming her fists on the table.

"We all know how you feel, Molly. I don't mean to sound disrespectful, but if you have another solution for this, then please say it."

"Now, please. We are all adults here, I'm sure that there is no need to act so uncivilized. Molly dear, I see where you are coming from, but the more they prepare, the safer everyone will be. We need to band together, not argue amongst ourselves." Narcissa said calmly without moving from her seat.

"Thank you, Mrs. Malfoy." Kingsley said, with a slight emphasis on the last word. "I am going to start contacting people who I think will be more on our side then the ministry. Draco, tell us as soon as you can 

whether we can expect help from your people." With that, he left the room, but not before giving one more glance towards Narcissa.

It took a few minutes for everyone to disband, leaving only the teenagers together. "Ron, can I speak with you for a moment?" Draco asked, coming up to the red head.

"Sure." He replied, touching the small of Pansy's back for a second a he left the room to follow Draco.

"I want to talk to you about a few things." Draco said calmly. He knew that they both had explosive tempers, but now was not a time to see who could insult the other the best.

"Ok, so what's so secret?" Ron asked, throwing himself into an overstuffed armchair.

"The first thing is Pansy. I want to know what exactly is going on there." Draco said calmly, sitting across from the redhead. He could tell from the blush that it wasn't going to be an easy conversation.

"Look, I'm in a strange position in that you're dating my ward and my best friend. Pansy was disowned and left alone by her family. I took her in and I expect her to behave like a proper lady."

"Look, Pansy and I are dating and we're exclusive. That's about all I have to say."

"No, you're a pureblood, Ron. We've both been taught the same customs and everything. I want to know your intentions with Pansy."

"You're one to talk about intentions. You went through over half the girls in school."

"Yes, but they all knew what was going to happen. Each one knew that I did not have any feelings for them. If they chose to come to bed with me, then it was on their heads. But Pansy seems to think herself in love."

Ron just smiled wide, a little on the goofy side and a sudden faraway look crossed his face. "Well then I guess that that means we're staying together."

"No, see! You don't just stay 'together' Ron. I need to know how to handle this. I should be starting to expect marriage proposals for her any day now once she starts 7th year. How can I possibly know how big of a price to demand for her hand if she's shacking up with you? Have you even thought of the consequences of this relationship."

"Look, I do plan on marrying her!" Ron shouted, immediately turning red. He had been thinking about it a lot over the recent days and had come to the conclusion himself. The only problem was of course the lack of gold.

"Listen, I know what to do and I do want to marry her, I just wanted to come up with some money first. I have some, I've been working with Fred and George over the summers for a while, but its not enough to get us settled."  


Draco now understood Ron better. Since becoming friends with the redhead, he was now surrounded by friends that had a lot more money then he did. Even Ginny, who had learnt to save every penny from her mother, also had her own savings.

He knew that his friend was proud and decided to put up a suggestion as gently as possible. "Look, I don't want you taking this as a charity, but I own the company that makes brooms, there's a few positions open that I could set up interviews for, but I'm not promising anything. The starting salary wont be much, but enough to set up a small household."

"I cant take a job from you."

"I'm not offering you one. I'm just giving you a opportunity to interview for one. I own the company, but I don't really run it. You'd be dealing with others."

Ron thought about for a few minutes. A nice paying job would make life so much easier, especially for Pansy. That's the only reason that he hadn't proposed yet, because he knew that she was used to the finer things and have galleons to spare. "Alright. I'll owe you big for this, though."

"Just do a good job and treat Pansy safe and happy." Draco said with a smile. Now onto the harder part.

"Another thing that I needed to talk to you about was Harry."

"What about him?"

"I know I'm new to this group and all, but I've heard things. You're a chess player, right?" At Ron's nod, he continued. "I know you'll agree with me when I say that the king is the most important piece in the board. The queen, pawns, knights, they are all there to protect the king, stay in the game if they can, for as long as possible, but they must lay down their lives if needed. With me so far?"

"Yeah, what does this have to do with Harry."

"A lot. I've heard about the fights that you two have had. You're quick to leave him when things are getting difficult. I'm not saying you're a bad person, and you've been there when really needed, but we don't know how long this is going to last. We're at war, here, it could last one day or a whole year. I'm putting the life of my mate on the line here, myself and my friends. I need to know that I can rely on you."

"I know. I got something more to fight for now. Pansy and I are in love and I think that's worth the hard times ahead. I wont let anyone down."

"Good to hear. I'll be holding you to that." With that, they both stood, shaking hands and Draco just stood there as Ron left the room.

"What was that all about?" Harry asked coming into the room a few seconds later.  


"I think I'm turning into a bloody Gryffindor, that's what." Draco said with a laugh.

"Hermione, can I have a word with you?" Narcissa called out before she left with the group of girls.

"Sure." She called out, giving a quick word to her two friends.

Narcissa waited until everyone left the room before speaking. "So, how have things been between you and Draco?" She asked with a kind smile.

"Fine." Hermione answered with a blush, just thinking of what they were doing right before the meeting.

"I know its none of my business, dear but I hope that blush doesn't mean anything inappropriate is going on."

"No, he said that what we do is normal for this stage of the relationship." Hermione replied, looking behind her shoulder to see if they were truly alone.

"And what exactly is that?"

"Um, well he comes to my bed at night and we talk and stuff. He said he wants to get to know me better."

"And are you ok with this? I want to know how you truly feel."

"Well, it's a tad embarrassing, but somehow it feels right. We're both so at ease when we are near one another. I think about him the whole time that I cant see him and at night, we have a chance to talk and be alone."

"Its wonderful to be in love, right?" Narcissa asked with a wistful smile.

"Yes, it is. I once read that the first time you fall in love is the best."

"Well, this isn't just love, its true love. I can see that you two are going to make a wonderful."

"I hope so." Hermione answered with a smile.

"Oh, before I forget, I wanted to invite you girls on a little shopping spree. The fall collections are done and we can have first pick if we act now."

"Um, sure. I'll go ask pansy and Ginny if they want to come. Thank you, Narcissa."

With that Hermione walked out, feeling the eyes of the older woman on her. 'Well, by this time next year, I'll have grandchildren. That is as good as a fact.' Narcissa thought to herself with a smile.

AN: R&R please!!


	32. Chapter 32

Hermione walked into her bedroom a touch confused over what had just happened. Ginny and Pansy were on one of the beds, looking over magazines.

"What was that about?" asked Ginny without looking up.

"Um, Narcissa just invited us to go shopping."

"Finally! I was wondering what would happen when I ran out of outfits. Did she say when?" Pansy asked excitedly.

"She didn't say when. But don't you think it's rather strange? I mean, we're here training for a war and we are going to take time off to buy some clothes," Hermione tried to rationalize.

"But we cannot wear rags while doing it, can we?" Pansy said in a as-a matter-of-fact tone.

"Whatever, but we need to go see what the boys are doing," Hermione said, walking out of the room. Things were definitely weird.

Draco stepped away from the fireplace to let his solicitor through the Floo, naturally holding himself in a rigid stance to make sure that the older man knew that he was in charge. "Mr. Thorn, have a seat, there are some things we need to discuss," he said, sitting behind the library desk.

"Lord Malfoy, good to see you well. I've heard about your impending marriage to your mate and I've brought the proper paperwork for you to look at, at your leisure."

"That is one of the reasons why I summoned you here today. It has to do with my mate's mother, Dr. Jane Granger. I want you to find everything you can about her. I have the one goal to destroy her life. I want her to suffer, understood?"

"If I may be so bold as to ask why, my lord? Pardon my inquiry, but I thought that with the changed alliances and business practices, these types of strategies were over for your family."

"This woman has hurt my mate, for years even before I knew that she was my mate. My right would be to kill her, but that would not sit well with my mate."

"Very well sir, I will be done."

"Good, another thing is that I will be doing some construction on the Malfoy grounds. I need a group to come in and build a small house. I'll send you a copy of the plans in a few days."

"Very good, sir."

"And I have the contracts and papers done that you left last week so you can take those with you and sort them out. That's all," Draco said, standing.

Edward Thorn had worked for the Malfoy family for decades. Serving the grandfather of the current young Lord Malfoy towards the end of his life was a difficult ordeal, and worse was to come with Lucius Malfoy, but things had changed with the rising of Draco Malfoy. During the first day of his father's disgrace, the teenager had sent him an owl stating that he wanted an accounting of all Malfoy businesses. The next day, the order came to dissolve all the more unsavory industries and now the Malfoy name was gaining a good reputation.

He knew from the very start that although things might have changed for the better in the Malfoy family, this young man was not to be crossed. He was more intelligent than his father, his mind thinking on the long term consequences instead of immediate satisfaction like his predecessors. He planned, he waited and when he saw the weak point, he would strike there at full strength. He may be a better man than the others before him, but he still had the venom from several centuries of Dark wizarding magic.

As he Flooed away, he almost pitied the woman who had incurred the anger of Draco Malfoy.

Draco made his way to the cellar where their training sessions were being held. He knew that he was being fair. His right was to kill the woman; he just wanted her to suffer for what she had done to his mate.

The house was something that he had seen in the copied diary. In the middle pages of the book, there were over twenty pages full of what she said was her dream house. Dozens of magazine pictures and drawings mapped out exactly what she wanted. She had impressed him with the amount of detail, including items both Muggle and wizarding throughout the home. Of course it would need to be made bigger to accommodate their family as it grew, but it was overall a place where he could see them growing old together.

He stepped into the room, nodding to Harry and Ron who were over by the weapons wall. "What's the plan today?"

"Swords, I think, then Moony and Lupin are going to come in for something new today," Harry answered.

"Alright," Draco said, picking up the heavy swords with the snakes on the handles that he always preferred. He was the best at this. Harry was messy with his technique and delivery, but he delivered the blows when needed. Ron was more into the tactics and setting up for kills, but the final blows to take life were never a strong point. Draco had been training with swords and other weapons since the age of 10 as part of his education so he was extremely confident.

They stood in the middle of the room, in a triangle, and began with the defensive position. Lupin had come up with this exercise to build up their instincts to react to the slightest eye twitch. Ron and Draco would start an offensive strike against Harry and throughout the sparing, the alliances would change. Harry was the absolute best at seeing when the pairings would change, before even Draco himself.

After about half an hour into this exercise, Dumbledore, Professor Lupin and Snape walked in, looking more dour then usual. All three young men had shed their shirts and sweat was dripping from their bodies.

"Good morning, boys," Dumbledore said, but the usual merry tone wasn't there.

"What happened?" Harry asked, throwing a towel around his neck.

"Professor Snape has just brought something to our attention, Harry. We just aren't all in agreement on whether to follow his suggestion."

"Why don't you just tell us and we'll make our own decision," Draco spoke up.

"Very well. Severus here thinks you three need to learn darker magic, namely the Unforgivables," Lupin replied.

Harry just shook his head, backing away from the group. Draco noticed that Ron had gone extremely pale too, and just rolled his eyes. He had been taught the curses at around the age of 14; he knew the spells and theory and knew for a fact that he could cast them even without actually killing someone.

He knew that this was coming. Everyone knew the four spells and jinxes that Harry would always rely on, and with the training, he had changed that, but the Death Eaters coming after them wouldn't be behind them throwing disarming spells.

"Let's just talk about it first," Draco said, looking behind for Harry.

"Like I said, children playing at being adults," Snape said, looking towards Harry and Ron.

"Severus, don't start that, please," Dumbledore said quickly, avoiding another argument. "I'll leave you with Professor Lupin, boys, to continue. I'll see you lot later."

At the end of the week, Hermione was standing in her room. Boxes, shopping bags and garment racks filled the room. They had just gotten back from shopping for hours and she was not happy.

She knew that Draco was rich, he flaunted the fact whenever possible in school, but she had her own money, too. Ever since she was young, she had done odd job and saved all her money. She economized to the point of being frugal and had continued to work over the summers and saved every penny.

She could afford clothes and jewelry if she wanted them, not have some man pay for them. She had almost gotten into a serious argument with Narcissa over the money that was being spent, but had backed down, deciding to argue her case with Draco himself.

The only problem was trying to find some time together. It seemed as if every minute was accounted for, with various training lessons, and the two of them barely had time to even talk. Every time she had managed to get a second with the boy, he was looking like he was about to collapse. Their contact was mostly at night when Draco snuck into her bed and held her until she fell asleep.

But now, she didn't know how much longer she could hold it in. Narcissa had made slight comments about how she should get rid of her old wardrobe and just wear what was purchased with Draco's money. Over the week, Narcissa had made sure that she had time to talk to the younger woman, always trying to give her tips on everything from her grooming to her clothes.

Hermione walked down the hall, hoping that the boys were in the middle of a break or that she could interrupt whatever they were doing. She passed Harry on the way down the hall. "Hey, Harry," she called out before he went into the room.

She noticed the slight limp that he was trying to hide. "Hi, 'Mione," he replied with a smile.

"Um, have you seen Draco? I wanted a word with him really quick."

"He said he was going to the library to get some work done or something. Lupin gave us an hour for break. Have you seen Gin?"

"Yeah, she was basking in the mountains of clothes that we bought. See you later," she called out, turning to head downstairs.

Jittering was not a very sophisticated trait, forbidden if you were a Malfoy. That was the only reason why Draco was trying his hardest to keep his mind off his mate. They were gone for about four hours, and while that wasn't a very long time, he was feeling an extreme need for her to at least be in the same house.

The past few days have been torture for him, having barely any contact with her. He managed about only two hours of sleep a night, just taking a nap until he made sure that Hermione was sleeping soundly. He would then either go with Katharina for training or work on the Malfoy businesses.

His control was paper thin now. As nights passed and there was still no consummation, he could feel the vampire in him straining to just hurry up and seduce her. He knew that it could be done whenever he wanted, but wanted to wait to see if he could win her on his own, just to save his pride.

A knock on the door brought his attention and he couldn't believe that he hadn't noticed Hermione's scent before. A smile was on his face before she even opened the door. He took a quick look at the mantle clock, seeing that he had about 20 minutes left of the break.

One glance at her face and he knew that she wasn't happy. He remembered telling his mother to get everything that she so much as looked at, and to buy everything that she may need for the year.

"How was your trip?" he asked, trying to sound casual, bending to give her a quick kiss.

"That's what we need to talk about. Do you have a minute?"

"Sure." He led her over to the couch, sitting as close to her as he dared.

"Draco, I just wanted to clear up a few things with you," she started, clearing her throat and folding her hands. "I want you to know that I have money. Not nearly as much as you guys, but I have some."

"And? I mean, thank you for telling me this, but why is it relevant?"

"It's relevant because I can buy my own damn things! I know that it's some man 'thing' to buy stuff for the girl, but I'm not in this relationship to be a kept woman. I wanted to buy a dress. Something nice for when we have time to go out. It would have made me feel accomplished to be able to afford something on my own. I was looking at a dress and your mother just bought it in every color that they had, and even ordered some custom ones. I wanted to do that on my own."

"I didn't know that you felt that way, and I apologize. The only thing is that you have to let me have this. One of my duties to you as my mate is to provide for you. You're not letting me do anything else, I have to do this."

"I don't need things from you, Draco. That's not how to get my affection."

"I know, and I thank you so much for the money not being part of our relationship, but being a provider for you is something that I need to do for now. Maybe after all this is over, we can come to some 

agreement, but for now just consider the clothes and things as gifts. We have so little time and we shouldn't be arguing about such petty things," Draco said, lifting her and settling her on his lap.

Kissing her was always like coming home for Draco. All the problems seemed to just melt away whenever she was in his arms. He knew that she was a passionate person and when he broke through the wall around her feelings, he would be complete.

AN: I got a BUMP!! Only my husband and I notice it, but it's there. More than makes up for the ickyness of the whole morning sickness issue. Anyways, reviews please, I'm working on the next chapter and it's almost half way done.


	33. Chapter 33

AN: Spoilers ahead and I borrowed an idea directly from the books, just changed things a bit to suit my story.

Draco was staring intently at the large blackboard in front of him. The others had already gone to bed but he couldn't sleep. He knew there was something missing. Something that was right in front of their faces, just waiting to be discovered.

They still had one more Horcrux to track down and tomorrow began the last full week of their summer holiday. He turned away from the door, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose.

He saw the vial that Snape had left for him on the desk. Mating season was coming up in less than a week and he was starting to feel the pressure every time Hermione was near. He took the cork off the vial and swallowed the foul tasting stuff in one gulp.

The calming effects of the potion were slowly taking effect over him. He saw the pile of contracts that would be needing attention before the week was out, but the most important file was carefully hidden away in a drawer under a false bottom.

Mr. Thorn had personally delivered a portfolio on Dr. Jane Granger. Everything about her primary school days up until last week was there in the thick file. Bank accounts and mortgages were listed, but he had to think of a way to not involve Hermione's father. It was clear to anyone that Hermione and her father were extremely close, so he would need to avoid his involvement.

He could feel his mind trying to catch up with everything. Things that needed to be done raced through his mind, and the letter from his grandfather was still upstairs on his night table, unopened.

With one last look at the board, he sat down on the chair, pulling out a packet of parchment from the jeweler Fabergé. He had been his family's personal jeweler for centuries, except for a few decades in which the relationship was strained, the ancient wizard was on call to provide the Malfoy family with his whimsical creations as soon as they were done.

Draco had commissioned the old wizard to create an engagement ring for Hermione. He had thought over and over what her reply would be, but it just came back to the look in her eyes when she had been tricked into signing the marriage contract. She had been nervous, obviously, but happy too.

He wanted to be engaged at least by the time they began their 7th year, possibly even married. He opened the packet and began looking through the pictures again. And just like the first time and all the other times, his attention went straight to the ring that was displayed on the third page.

It was a beautiful creation like the others, but this one looked like it belonged on her small hand. A 4 ½ carat princess cut diamond was the main stone, flanked by two 1 carat green diamonds. He smiled at that, she had joked that he loved to see her in green, and of course, it was true. The band was platinum, channel set with diamonds all around.

The only question was when he would propose. The war was right upon them, attacks were coming nearer to them and their forays out to find the Horcruxes were near fatal each time. They had found them all as a team, but that didn't make it any easier. They'd almost lost Ron a couple of days ago and Pansy had been beside herself with grief. Once it was safe to assume that Ron would make a full recovery, they had gone back to the search again. The idea of teaching the Unforgivables to Harry and Ron was not broached again, but Draco knew that they would need to learn them soon.

A soft noise caught his attention and he shoved the picture of the ring under the pile of folders on the desk. Hermione came in slowly. The robe that she was wearing made him smile since it was one that he had purchased for her with his money. The thin pink material wasn't revealing by any extent of the imagination, but it showcased her curvy body to its best.

"I woke up and you weren't there," she said softly as she came closer.

Draco pushed back the chair a bit and pulled her onto his lap. He buried his nose in her hair, loving how she hugged him back and everything about her body. The warmth and the smell of her became his focus and again the feeling of coming home was there.

"Sorry, I was just trying to get some work done," he said, pulling away from her a little and twirling a brown curl around his finger.

"Anything I can help you with?" she asked, looking at the piles of work on the desk.

"Actually, you can," he said suddenly. He rummaged around for a few seconds and pulled out a thick brown folder. "These are some charities that I was interested in supporting with a donation that I haven't had a chance to look through. All the information should be there and it would be great if you could look through them and tell me your opinion."

Hermione smiled as she took the file. She leafed through it quickly before she put it down. "Aren't you tired yet?"

"Not quite. Why don't you go on ahead and I'll be there in a few?"

"I can't sleep it you're not there," Hermione said with a blush.

The smile on Draco's face couldn't get bigger. He kissed her gently and stood up with her still in his arms. "Fine, I guess I'll just have to suffer and lay there in bed with you," he answered with a laugh.

It was almost dawn when Draco was beginning to feel tired. Hermione was snuggled up against him, sleeping deeply. He closed his eyes, trying to slow his thoughts. Something was right there, in front of his eyes, but he couldn't grasp it.

Suppressing a growl of frustration, he opened his hand and silently summoned his letter. His grandfather's eagle owl had delivered it this morning and he had been neglectful about opening it until now.

My Dear Grandson,

My congratulations upon receiving your gifts and assuming the role as head of such an illustrious family. I apologize for not contacting you sooner, but I knew you would be a strong addition to our race.

The Daywalkers have usually ignored wars that do not directly affect us and I fail to see how this one would too. The common vampires that are choosing to fight on Lord Voldemort's side are of some concern, but again, they do not matter.

I am told by my advisors to maintain our neutral stance but something makes me pause at this. I might be convinced to offer my support if we can come to some agreements over your future among your new people.

I wish to invite you to come and see me, I know your days are full, but I shall only take up a few hours of your time. I have news that you have found your mate, and the invitation is extended to her also.

I look forward to hearing from you. When I have your agreement, I'll send the Portkey to bring you here.

I look forward to hearing from you, my grandson.

Tsar Ignatius Black

Draco mulled over the letter again. His mother had never mentioned much of this family relation. From the family histories that he had been forced to read as a child, he knew that the man needed to be about 300 years old.

The title of Tsar sounded familiar to him, but he had just glossed over the books on his mother's side of the family. He knew that both sides of his family came from royalty, he just wasn't aware that it was so direct.

He decided to talk to Hermione about it in the morning, after he had a few hours to think about it. There were questions that would arise when the other vampires saw his mate, still unclaimed, and he needed to make up some excuses.

He heard a noise coming from Pansy's side of the room as she made a mad dash towards the bathroom. She had done it yesterday morning too and he just hoped that she wasn't coming down with anything serious. The last thing that they needed was something else going wrong.

He had questioned Harry's state of mind a few times over the week, he knew that he would never fully comprehend the way a Gryffindor used his brain, but it was definitely not normal. Harry seemed bound to try to fight this war on his own and the five of them and various Order members had to constantly butt heads with him over who should do what, which was extremely counterproductive when on the hunt for the Horcruxes and caused them potential harm.  


Hermione stirred next to him and he wrapped his arm around her waist, drawing her closer. A few gentle kissed were placed around her face and Draco was treated to the first smile of the day. It always amazed him how her eyes appeared golden for the first few seconds right after she woke up.

"Good morning," he whispered against her lips.

"Morning," Hermione replied, pulling away from him a bit. "Did you get any sleep?"

"Not really, but it's ok. I read the letter from the Daywalkers. It's from a family member," he said, sitting up and pulling her with him.

He handed her the letter and waited to see her reaction. He saw her eyes quickly going through the parchment, then going back to reread. When she put it down, it was with a resolute expression on her face.

"When do we leave?"

"You don't have to come with me, Hermione. I can just have the two of you introduced at a later time, when things are calmer," Draco replied. He felt a bit uneasy at the thought of Hermione being in such close proximity to other men who were new to him.

"Nonsense. It says right here that I can come with you. And I want to come. I can learn a lot from them. "

"Always the scholar, aren't you? Fine, you can come with me, but I need you to stay at my side the entire time. Agreed?"

"Agreed. Thank you, Draco. I promise I'll behave," Hermione said with a smile.

Pansy slowly rinsed her mouth out. She had been sick for the past week and had a suspicion of what was wrong with her. Ron Weasley was a man whose attention had to be kept busy. When she began to pursue a relationship with him, it was always with that in mind. Everyone who had ever known him would say the same thing.

After his crush with Hermione was over, he went through several Gryffindor and Hufflepuff girls, always disposing of them after he was finished or grew bored. She was raised a Slytherin and knew all the tricks that could be known and she knew how to keep a man, whether the plan was deceitful or not, she always got her way.

The one thing that the others couldn't be for him was what she was: an experienced virgin. She knew all the activities of a whore but with her virtue intact. She might have let herself be seduced into the redhead's bed a little too quickly for her liking, but now the problem was keeping him.

The definite thing that would bind him to her side forever was a child. Over the past few weeks she had skipped the birth control charm and stopped taking the potion, hoping that she would end up pregnant. She wasn't fool enough to think that it would be easy or would ensure their future happiness, but with the last school year approaching and an end to the shared bed, any little hussy could take his attention away. The only problem would be informing Draco and the others.

Ginny smiled as she slowly caressed Harry's cheek, not wanting to wake him any earlier than she needed to. An angry scar across his chest was still very tender, but other than that, he appeared to be resting comfortably.

These days and nights had been hard on him. Every new attack that came with casualties resulted in his self torture and feelings of guilt. The few comforts and smiles that she could muster up for him were given gladly, other than her body totally. She wasn't completely innocent like Hermione, but her mother had drilled the concept of waiting for marriage into her with such force that it stuck.

She, of course, had been planning on marrying Harry since she was ten years old and almost gave up the dream a few times, but now it looked like things were back on course. She had dated other boys to try to get his attention and fought with him whenever he tried to push her away, but now she thought that they had a better understanding of each other. Three days ago, she had managed to knock him flat on his arse in a practice duel, and after that she could see a new and deeper respect for her in his eyes. He asked her opinion now more than ever and trusted her with his secrets. They had grown so much in such a short time, all over a well placed hex.

She was lost in thought when she felt lips on hers. She smiled and returned the kiss. "Good morning."

"How long have you been awake?" Harry asked, his voice husky from sleep.

"Not too long. Maybe half an hour," Ginny whispered

"Why didn't you wake me?"

"I thought you should rest up a bit. We have a tough day ahead."

"Right. Can't we just stay here for about a week? I was having the best dream," he replied with a smile.

"Really? What type of dream? Was I in it?"

"Of course, which is why it was a good dream." Harry rolled over and pinned her underneath him, loving how normal these short moments made him feel.

One kiss led to many and they wound up missing breakfast. With much blushing and love bites, they finally 

made it over to the practice room, already finding all their friends there. Their peaceful interlude had ended and now reality came crashing back.


	34. Chapter 34

Katherina watched with a cold expression as Hermione and Narcissa walked about the tiny enclosed garden. There wasn't much sun that escaped the high walls of the house, but it was a favorite place of the teen's free time. She couldn't see what would make someone so plain and simple be a mate to the future Tsar of all the Daywalkers. Her plans were backfiring and she had lost a potential ally in Mrs. Granger.

She only took this assignment with the hope of ending up as the consort to the future tsar. The chances of him knowing who his mate was in such a short time and being so besotted with her was rare. She had expected there to be at least a few months for her to be near him. She had risked and planned for almost a year and now things weren't going her way.

Her mate had no political ambitions, happy to just live in his small cottage away from the court. She had promptly gotten rid of him with some discreetly poisoned muggle blood. After the pain of losing her mate was bearable when she thought her plan through.

The old Tsar was looking for a replacement. Of course he wasn't satisfied with the eligible young daywalkers that were in court already, so she quietly put in the minds of several ministers the idea of recruiting Draco Malfoy as a possible choice, pending that he received his gifts. The word had gotten around to the tsar and now it seemed like a decent probability.

The only thing standing in her way was the mudblood. Draco was like any other young man and she had no doubt that it wouldn't take much to seduce him. She had researched his life thoroughly and found the number of conquests for one so young quiet impressive. The problem of the girl could have been easily dealt with, but without allies, she would have to tread carefully and cover her tracks.

She hadn't survived for so long to just be pushed aside for some little trollop to come and mess up years of carefully laid out plans. As for how she would accomplish her goals, things would need to be changed, but she would get her way, she always did.

Draco smiled from the window of his study as his mother and Hermione took their almost daily walk. Outings were not too common and the tiny garden was proving to be a beloved haven for all the occupants. The recent events had them virtual prisoners in the home now and the next time any of them would really be out was either for the last horcrux or for school.

He cast a tempus charm and saw that he had a few more minutes left to join with the others. Today wouldn't be easy at all. Harry and Ron had learned two of the unforgivables, both refusing to be helped by any other professor or Order member other then Draco. It was hours of intense training and arguing, but now they all knew Crucio and Imperio. Harry was incredibly good at the mind controlling curse, even managing to break his barrier and control his mind for a few minutes at a time.

The girls had done admirably considering the reluctance to even consider using dark magic, especially Ginny. The girl had a will like her mother and just the mere hint of her not being able to cast the curses from Ron had the redhead stripping to his boxers and dancing a rather embarrassing jig.

Lighthearted moments were few and far in between and they made a bigger deal out of them then they should. Harry had tears running down his eyes hiccups soon followed. He walked over to Ginny and loudly claimed that he had never questioned her _extreme_ talent in all things magical and that he loved her and would never piss her off.

The board was still silently tempting him, the answer was there, staring at him and he just had to organize his mind and find it. Hermione and the others had tried to help him of course, but was still something that bothered him. His mother seemed to take an extreme liking to his mate and tried to occupy most of her free time. He did mind, of course. It would only help his relationship with Hermione if he was the reason that she had a new mother figure in her life.

Thinking of the girl made him feel around in his pocket for the ring that was delivered that morning. News of the building project on the Malfoy grounds stated that the building would be completed no later than next week, but a slight frown made the architect quickly say that it would be ready in two days. He earmarked another 10000 galleons if the house was up to standards and made a mental note to ask Dumbledore to have a few hours free after he came from the meeting with the daywalkers.

The port key was ready to take Hermione and him to the capital of his great grandfathers' kingdom at half past two tomorrow. While he was still wary of going, it needed to be done. The amount of vampires that would be able to fight with them would be an incredible help in battling the numbers of dark creatures that the death eaters already had.

"The court was a marvelous place. I remember every surface was marble or expensive woods. Women in their court gowns covered with jewels and the men in their uniforms. I lived at the court for almost three years before my inheritance and the wonders never ceased. It was like living in a wonderland and nothing was as beautiful as the next sight."

"Why did you leave?" Hermione asked. The slowly pace walk that they were doing along the wall of the garden only allowed for a few minutes at a time on each side, but at least it was outside and safe.

"My father had plans for me of course. I didn't matter that I would obviously receive the vampire gift instead of Bella and if we both wouldn't receive our gifts, than neither of us would. My marriage to Lucius was arranged before I was 10 years old."

"I thought that vampires couldn't live without their mate?"

"Oh, we can live without them, but it's not really a life. Its torture to know that your mate is close but not with you. It has driven others mad with grief. "Narcissa had a faraway look and gave the younger woman a sad smile.

"Never mind, though. I think I have an old day gown from court that I could resize for your visit. And we can go over some things. Like behavior, correct forms of address, small little details like that. As smart as you are, it'll only take you a few minutes. Luckily you have me; I know every etiquette rule in the world."

Hermione gave a little laugh, looping her arm around Narcissa's when it was being offered. She loved the older woman already. Hermione could tell that he absolutely adored her son, but wouldn't let him get away with much. Molly was like another mother to her too, but with her own kids and harry, she had never wanted to impose too much. With Narcissa, she only had to split the woman with Draco, who was almost always busy now.

The two of them made it to Narcissa's room and she began to look around in her wardrobe while Hermione went to pour some tea. It took a few minutes, but Narcissa finally pulled out a green garment bag.

"Now, you should only wear light colors and such, until you and Draco get married and settled with all that." Narcissa said, opening the bag.

Hermione had to stand to get a closer look. The first thing she saw was the glimmer and sparkle of pearls and some other clear gemstones. The jewels made a beautiful leaf pattern all over the bodice and overskirt. The sleeves were slashed to show the lining that was embroidered with the same motif and she couldn't believe that someone would loan her such a work of art.

"I'll have to shorten it a touch, but it shouldn't be too difficult and remove the train." Narcissa said, pointing her wand at the gown to make it stay up.

"Why?"

"You're not considered a woman yet in the world of the daywalkers. You wouldn't wear your hair up or a full length gown until your union with Draco is finalized."

Hermione blushed as the older woman spoke. She had been surprised that such a proper woman as Narcissa would have no qualms about talking regarding intimate things. Hermione always steered the direction of the conversation to something else and it seemed to be working.

"I don't think I've ever seen a prettier dress." Hermione said with a smile and reached out to touch the cream colored silk.

"Court fashion is a fantasy world, darling. Very similar to the early centuries of muggle fashions but still held close to our hearts."

"You copied muggle fashions?"

"Of course not. But a few centuries ago, our world married a few times into muggle royalty, so our fashions were joined and copied.

"But just wait until you see the crown jewels! Depending on the position that Draco takes at court, you will be entitled to wear some of the pieces. They are the only jewelry collection to rival our own and all the parades and reviews! I'm getting dizzy just thinking about it all."

Hermione had never seen Narcissa as happy except for when she was near Kingsley. That was another thing that worried her. Narcissa practically fawning over the man and he treated her at a distance. But when he thought that no one was watching, both Draco and she noted the longing looks that he sent to the woman.

Draco had warned her not to get involved and she listened to him, but quietly observed in case the older woman asked for her opinion. She was roused out of her thoughts when Narcissa was waving her hand over her eyes. "Sorry."

"Quite alright dear. Now, why don't you go behind the screen and put this slip on and come out. This dress takes a few minutes to put on."

Hermione took the thin linen under dress, and went behind the screen in the corner. She crossed her arms over her chest to maintain a sense of modesty and walked over to Narcissa. When she had said that it took a few minutes to put on the dress, she wasn't kidding. The dress was composed of six different layers and pieces and it took about 15 minutes to put on. The train of the dress was left on the bed and the older woman shortened the dress to come down a few inches short of her ankles.

"Why, look at that dear. You're a vision!" Narcissa turned Hermione towards the full length mirror in the corner of the room and loosened the messy bun that Hermione had taken to wearing recently.

Hermione had never paid too much attention to her appearance before. School work and adventures with Harry and Ron had always taken precedence over all things and her appearance was not what it could be. Over the years Ginny and her dorm mates always tried to get her to at least wear a touch of makeup and fix her hair.

Now, she couldn't believe that the plain girl that she had always been was the same woman standing in front of the mirror. The gown now fitted her properly and she was glowing from the jewel s sewn into the dress that was reflecting the light from the fireplace.

"Look at that, the same waist that I had to stuff into a corset, you naturally have. Let's hope that you keep this perfect figure after the child comes. "

"Are you sure I should be this dressed up? We're only going to be there for a few hours."

"Of course. There will still be a welcoming reception and introductions to the premiers of the court. This isn't as elaborate as the gowns that are worn to balls or night receptions, so it protocol. We need to put you in a good light as soon as possible."

"Why? I don't believe I've done anything wrong."

"I'll explain things later on. Come on, we have to do hair and makeup. I'll see if I brought some nice pearls with me. "

Narcissa did very light makeup charms to create a dewy look and a four strand pearl chocker was put on. A potion was misted over her hair to make the curls to make them glossy and tighter. Pearl pins were threaded through her hair to give it a small pompadour shape and diamond and pearl earrings were put on. The older woman gave another wistful sigh and hugged the other girl from behind. "Now, just copy the curtsy and bows of the other women and let Draco lead. You'll be fine if the you remain aloof during this first time. After you're married properly, you can start making your own rules."

Draco paced back and forth in the hallway outside of the study. The formal robes he was wearing were getting hotter and his nerves were shot. A lot depended on his meeting and it was up to him to convince them.

He was nervous about Hermione around so many men too. A young woman as beautiful and unclaimed as Hermione would be easy prey among the soldiers and men of the court. He had written to his great grandfather that Hermione would be coming with him. Explaining that they were rarely separated so that they could develop their bond was hopefully enough of an explanation for her status.

He smelled the unique scent that she gave off before she heard her footsteps. When she rounded the corner, he lost his breath. The sight of her dressed like that, with the shy smile and blush high on her cheeks just added to her charming appearance. She slowly walked up to him, her eyes were questioning.

Draco cupped her face gently, kissing her lightly on her glossy lips. "You are so beautiful." He whispered to her, putting their forehead together.

Hermione's blush instantly became enflamed. She muttered an embarrassed thank you and looked down. She had seen Draco in dress robes a few times, but was too shy to say anything. The dizziness was there for a few seconds, but she was able to push it to the back of her mind and was able to control the urge to melt in his arms.

Draco led her into the study and walked over to the desk there. He picked up a heavy ancient looking book and with a "Portus" he placed their interlocked hands over the book.

The pressure forced Hermione even closer to Draco and she clung to him, feeling the uncomfortable pull under her navel. After a few minutes, they landed roughly and Draco's arm tightened around his waist.

Her eyes immediate darted around and she gave a small gasp. Everywhere she looked was a marvel. She stepped away from Draco to take a closer look and didn't know where to look first. She was startled when she heard someone come up to them.

"Your Highness! I'm here on the order of his Imperial Majesty the Tsar. I'm to take you to him as soon as you arrive. Please follow me." The woman said, rising from her deep bow.

Hermione saw that the woman was wearing a similar court dress like she was, but made out of black velvet with a three foot train behind her. A light blue sash was stretched across her torso from her right shoulder down to her waist. Her hair was up in intricate veil and headdress and about eight ropes of pearls were hanging from her neck, in various lengths, the longest going down to about her knees.

Draco gave Hermione a smile as he led her through the large room and down the vast corridors. Even the halls were beautiful; portraits, tapestries and curios full of objects d'art filled the walls and gave up a feast for the eyes. He had heard about the splendor of the court and while it was impressive, he had grown up around almost the same opulence and restrained himself.

He was extremely pleased when Hermione kept pace with him. Her curiosity couldn't be squashed but she maintained her dignity. Her eyes were moving rapidly over the hall, never resting on one thing for more than a few seconds, but that was the only indication that she was impressed with her surroundings.

They walked for about another ten minutes until they finally reached a pair of gigantic double doors. "Please wait here, your Highness. I'll announce your arrival and you shall be properly introduced to his Majesty. "With that, she left them there.

Draco turned to Hermione and kissed her gently again. Her smile was reassuring and made him relax for a second. He had memorized all the key points in their need of aide for the war and was willing to be subservient to his maternal patriarch if it meant that they would have such powerful beings on their side, especially if the reports were true that Voldermort had recruited several covens of vampires, the army of daywalkers would be needed.

As the doors opened, all he thought was of the stares that were immediately directed at the two of them. Dozens of formally dressed people were on two sides of the room, and he managed to catch a glimpse of the man that must have been his grandfather all the way down on the other side of the room.

"His Imperial Highness, the Grand Duke Draco Malfoy, and his mate." Came the booming announcement and the crowd dipped into a low bow and curtsy. The great sound of cloth and jewels rustling quelled Hermione's anger for a few seconds. They hadn't even bothered to announce her name. She would have rather been ignored, it would have been slightly less insulting then to just be referred to a 'mate' and she stiffened enough to have Draco press his elbow against her ribs.

She forced herself to relax as she walked up to the other side of the room. There were several girls around her age and there dresses were short enough so that she could look at how positioned their feet. It seemed easy enough and she felt confident that she could copy it.

Draco finally got close enough to take a good look at the man that he came to see. He was expecting someone like Dumbledore but even older. But this man seemed much younger, surely less than 90, but he knew for a fact that he was over 400 years old. He braced himself and held his head a touch higher and closed up his mind. His Malfoy upbringing had always taught him to be above everyone and show no emotion and this was the best time to practice it.

AN: Sorry it took so long! If you want to see the type of dresses I'm writing about, go to this site:forum./index.php?topic715.msg327235 and you'll see examples of them. R&R Please!


	35. Chapter 35

"On behalf of my kingdom, I'd like to welcome you to Eursika. I know our time is measured, but I do hope this will be the beginning of many more visits." Came the strong deep voice from the throne.

Hermione sunk into a deep curtsey like she saw the other women and saw Draco incline his head respectfully out of the corner of her eye. She rose slowly and saw the kind smile from the woman sitting next to the Tsar. Her age was almost impossible to determine. She saw signs of age around her mouth and eyes, but the body and face belonged to someone young.

"The court bids you welcome but now shall retire. We all understand how little time we have." At that announcement, the crowd slowly began to leave, every person bowing low once more before leaving through one of the four pairs of doors around the room.

It took several minutes for the room to clear out. When they were alone, the old tsar stood and walked slowly to them. "Let me take a better look at this grandson that I keep on hearing so much about." He said, his voice not unlike Dumbledore in tone. He smiled up at Draco as he framed his face with his weathered hands for a few seconds.

"And this lovely young lady must be your mate." He said, turning towards Hermione.

"Hermione Granger. Pleased to meet you." Hermione replied.

"Granger?" He asked, raising an eyebrow towards Draco.

"Yes. Hermione didn't grow up with much knowledge of our world. We are taking our time to formally wed."

"Interesting." Was all he said. "Oh, I almost forgot, this is my woman, the Tsarina Elizveta." He said, casually gesturing towards the other woman.

"Welcome." She said kindly.

Hermione returned her smile, feeling some kind of connection this woman. She felt Draco place an arm around her waist, drawing her closer to his side as the older man stared at her for a few seconds. "Well, how about we go out into the conference room and discuss the reason you're really here for and let the ladies do whatever they usually do to spend time."Hermione tensed, remembering that it was Draco himself that didn't want her to be far from him.

"Forgive me, but I'd rather keep her with me, if you don't mind."

"My son, the palace security is above all others. Besides, this war business is no place for a woman. Let the ladies get to know each other and we'll talk business."

Draco was nowhere near comfortable, but the war looming too close for their to be any more delays. He turned and walked a few feet away with Hermione, pulling her as close to him as he could. "Are you alright with this?" He asked quietly next to her ear.

"Doesn't he know that I'm here for the same reason you are? I'm not here to make small talk with a woman that I've never met before."

"I know that love, but things aren't done like that here. The important thing is to get there agreement to join our war. After that, I'll make sure they know that you are to be with me in all things."

Hermione stiffened but nodded. She knew that were here for a very limited amount of time, for things to be done, so acting like a child would not help move things along. "I'll be fine. Just remember the time, ok?"

"Ok. Just make sure your wand is at the ready for anything. Any men that come next to you that make you feel strange, do not hesitate to come to me or hex them." He said, with one last gentle kiss. They both walked over to the older couple again, taking sides.

Hermione gave a tiny nervous wave and left with the older woman. Draco just stared at the retreating figure of his mate, fighting the urge run after her.

"You know, I've always said that you can learn almost all you need to know about a man from how he treats his mate." The older man said quietly, grasping Draco's shoulder for a brief moment. "Come, the women will just walk around the garden and talk about whatever women talk about and we must get to business."

They walked over to great oak door behind a tapestry walked in. the room was definitely masculine, all dark greens and oak. Somber paintings lined the walls and bookcases were full of ancient looking parchment scrolls behind protective glass panels.

"Come, sit and we'll talk." Albus Dumbledore was quite clear that the teens shouldn't be gone from the protection of their safe house for an extended period of time and he had no desire to upset such a powerful man.

"Now, I have been following closely your war with this dark lord since the first rising all those years ago. I have to say that I'm worried over his influence on the vampires. Your ministry just loves to group us all together, but if they think about the bloodshed that those animals have caused over the centuries, they wouldn't compare to our noble race. And that is where you come in, Draco."

"I have spent my entire reign, over a century making alliances and deals with your wizarding government. I have given up the expansion of our lands and wars in favor of ensuring the peace that has never before been had. My people have prospered, have been wealthy and happy, but we're still compared to those dark things."

Draco nodded, remembering the history lessons that Katharina had been given him. The current Tsar had come to the throne almost two hundred years ago, amidst a great civil war with the final break with the night vampires.

"And that is where you come in. A Daywalker raised purely in the wizarding world, knowing your inheritance but remaining there anyway. My offer is the entire army in exchange for an agreement."

"What agreement?" Draco asked.

Thaddeus Black gave a sly smile and turned towards the portraits on the wall, a far off look crossing his face for a few seconds. "I've had four sons, and eight daughters. My daughters all married their mates and have been quite happy. My sons were proud soldiers, they fought and died bravely. My only regret is that I was not able to be on the battle fields with them. My entire life I have wanted to have a formal alliance with the Ministry of Magic. To somehow unite the two communities and ensure this peace that I've worked so hard for."

"And how would I be of any help." Draco asked, already having a slight feeling of dread.

"I will give you the full support of the kingdom in exchange for you to become my heir. I want you to become the Tsar after I chose to leave the throne."

Draco was almost expecting it, from the lessons that Katharina had been giving him, and the royal blood flowing through his veins thanks to his mother.

"I know this might be a shock, but that is the price of my support. People are already talking about you being a high ranking ministry official as soon as your schooling ends and with such influence in the business world. You would be the only candidate that I would feel comfortable leaving my realm to."

The tsarina walked slowly and Hermione was trying to not appear bored. He mind drifted to Draco and she found herself exasperated to think that important decisions were being made and she wasn't apart of them.

"Would you like to walk the gardens or take some tea?"

"The gardens would be fine, thanks."

Natalia smiled at the girl. Nerves were radiating off her like mad but she kept her face controlled. She remembered when she first came to court, so it was completely understandable.

"You know, I remember the first time I came here. My sister was the Tsars' mate. Imagine, two squibs girls, knowing nothing of significance in the world coming to the opulence of this court. When my sister died, I replaced her in his life and here I am, the Tsar has been a good man to me."

"Wait, I thought vampires died without their mates."

"No, you can choose death, but life can go on under special circumstance. If the daywalker is powerful, has a will to live, then a type of life is had. The relationship between myself and his Majesty is not a great love story or romantic at all. Its more of a constant companionship and deep friendship that has developed over all these years."

"And you're happy with this life?"Hermione asked incredulously.

"Yes. I'm the highest lady of the land. I want for nothing and have the friendship of a great man. We have tender feelings for each other and I've been lucky."

"Forgive me, but a life without love is not really a life."

"You've had a life before your mate found you."

"Well, that's different." Hermione said, becoming guarded.

"Come lets sit and get to know each other." She said with a smile. They both sat down on the stone bench, Hermione immediately copying on how she spread the gown out around her.

"I know this country may seem backwards to you, but there must always be a down side to a coin. Look at the land: no poverty, minimal death, all citizens' content with their lives. Being surrounded by beauty and wonders every day."

"So the price is that the women are kept as second class citizens? Don't they really count?"

"Of course they do. A vampire would do anything for his mate, you should know that by now. The only thing is that they recognize a more dominant role in public. You can have whatever balance you want in your relationship with Draco, but eventually it will become second nature to you to give up a bit of control to him, at least in public."

"I don't think so. Draco knows me well and he knows that I won't be second in anything. We are both on the same step in this relationship."

"Well, if you decide to have a future in court, perhaps you can change how things are. I see great things for you, my dear. The future is looking grand for you. With such a mate as Draco, with your beauty, youth and wisdom the world is yours for the taking."

"I cannot give you an answer, yet. I would need to discuss this with Hermione and the others." Draco said, standing up and leaning on the table.

"Of course. Take the time you need, but remember, the faster we get an answer, the faster the army can assemble and help train your wizards and witches." The older man said, walking over to the window. "I must congratulate you on your mate." He said softly as he saw his wife sitting with the younger woman from his vantage point. "She is wonderful. A rare find to have such a woman with a character like that. I felt her strength as soon as she walked into the room. I hope you are blessed with happy years and many children."

"Thank you, sir."

"I only wonder why she is still intact. You've been co-habitating since the beginning of the summer and she still has not been claimed. Most unusual."

"That I'm afraid is a personal matter. Hermione and I have an understanding between us. I'm sorry, but may we be excused? I need time to consider your proposition fully and talk it over with Hermione."

"Of course my dear boy. Just please respond quickly as to our little matter. The detail we can work out when I have your decision."

With that, both men walked out the room. Draco followed, feeling in his pocket the small jewelry box that held the engagement ring. We had wanted to end this meeting as soon as 

possible, hoping that they would be done with enough time to stop by the manor before curfew.

The little house was finally done today and everything was in place for a proposal. He knew that she loved him. The time that they had spent together over the summer had only helped blossom what they had begun before school holidays, before he received his gifts. To have her say yes in front of the house of her dreams, were they would live together and raise their children.

He smiled to himself as he thought of the nights they had spent tighter talking about their future, arguing everything from parenting methods to baby names. They agreed on almost everything, but still picked to argue for the intellectual aspect of their relationship.

His smile grew as she walked in with the tsarina. He walked over to her and after a formal leave taking, they walked out with a guard to the room where they first came from. "Do you mind if we make a quick stop at the manor? I have a surprise for you."

With a smile and a kiss, Draco received a nod and led both of them to the fireplace. He gave the direction to be dropped off at the front gate, and when they landed, he called a house elf for a carriage.

"Now, it's a surprise, so I'm going to want to blindfold you, just until we get there." Draco said, pulling out a black cloth from his pocket.

"You had this planned all along?" She asked with a smile.

"Only since this morning. I was waiting for some things to be done." He replied. He tied the blindfold gently but securely and placed a gentle kiss on her lips.

They arrived at the site a few minutes later and Draco found himself very pleased. The house had to have rooms added to it to make room for the nurseries that they would need and a few extras, but the architects and builders had been faithful to Hermione's original drawings.

The gardens were lighted with lanterns and fireflies, creating the perfect ethereal setting that he had been hoping for. He turned and helped Hermione down from the carriage, leading her down the path of lilies and tulips to be near the front doors.

He took one last look around and knelt down on one knee, just like the muggle custom called for. With a slight wave of his hand the blindfold came off.

Hermione blinked a few times to get used to the light but a gasp escaped when she saw the house in front of her. She thought that it wasn't possible, it must have been some type of dream or hallucination and not possibly real.

A small chuckle caught her attention towards the ground and she felt a wave of dizziness overcome her as she saw Draco on his knees for the first time in her life.

"I love you, Hermione. There are not enough words in the universe to explain how much I love you, but I promise that I will make sure you know how I feel about you each and every day for the rest of our lives. I don't deserve you, but I'll make you happy. Will you do me the honor of being my wife?" Draco said, his voice quivering slightly.

Hermione felt as if all the air had been pulled out. She dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around his waist, vigorously nodding her head.

Draco pulled back, wanting to make sure what she was saying. "What was that love?"

"Yes! Yes, a million times yes!" She shouted, going back and burying her face into his chest again.

AN: I'm so sorry for the delay. And about the story coming off the site, my bad. I took the words from Draco's proposal from my husband, so thanks to him for that. I have a rough outline for the story and am trying to get back on track with faster and more regular updates. I'll repost this chapter as soon as I get it beta'd. the next chapter will be up VERY soon. Like before Thursday (cross fingers). Anyways, comments, questions, reviews? THANKS!


	36. Chapter 36

Hermione's heart couldn't stop beating fast even after they landed on the stoop of Grimmauld place. It felt too much like a dream and she was tempted pinch herself hard save for the fact that the heavy weight of her ring reminded her of what happened.

There was still the fact that Draco could apparently read her mind and hadn't told her that bothered her, but she refused to dwell on it. When she had turned and saw him down on his knees with a ring box, she felt as he might be playing a trick on her.

"Come on, we need to talk about a few things before the others know that we've made it back." Draco said, pulling her out of her musings.

"Wait, shouldn't we tell them that we've made it back alright?" She asked with a blush as she saw the expression in his eyes. She felt incredibly foolish, but she couldn't hide the new shyness that overwhelmed her. This was the man that was going to be her husband. She had been slowly getting used to the idea of having an actual boyfriend, with all the intimate and soul-sharing that was involved.

She didn't know how to go about the relationship now. Will he be expecting to be more physical when they were in bed together? She hadn't read about this before, she had always ignored all the women's magazines that advertised their secrets on relationships. She was too embarrassed to ask Pansy or Ginny anything of importance, so she guessed that she would have to wing it until she could get a clear idea on what she was doing.

She watched as Draco called out to Kreacher, asking him to tell everybody that they were back. She frowned at the tone of voice that he used one the poor house elf, but decided that now wasn't the time to talk about that.

"Come on, let's go to the bedroom."

"Why can't we talk here? Pansy and Ginny are probably there and we're alone here." Hermione answered quickly.

Draco narrowed his eye for a second before he conceded. He pulled Hermione to the couch on the far side of the room and sat down; pulling her so she was straddling his lap. He pulled her closer and placed a gently kiss on her lips.

Hermione pulled back, not wanting to head to that direction but that just made him start on her neck. The temptation to just let him keep making her feel so good was overcoming her, but she pulled back. She hadn't been part of the conversations on the over when he was with his grandfather and she needed to know what was said.

"Draco?" She said gently. She tried a few more times, but that only made his lips go lower. She was growing uncomfortable when she felt his hands go up her ribs and had to pull on his hair hard to get his attention. "Please, we need to talk about what happened." She said nervously.

The look in his eyes was too intense, as if he was burning a hole through her very soul. She could feel the world spinning again, and knew that it wasn't totally natural. The books that she had read had all told her that it was the pheromones that would make her more pliable to sexual advances. From all accounts it was a genetic throwback from the time when made had to be forcibly claimed and brought to heel.

"Please, we need to talk." She repeated, moving away to sit next to him, folding her legs up and facing his side.

"Fine. I was offered the use of the army. It's ours under one condition." Draco replied, standing up and beginning to pace the floor in front of her.

"What's the condition?"

"I agree to become his heir. He wants to name me Tsarevich. I agree, and we have their numbers with us. If I refuse, they stay neutral and no help or damage will come from them."

Hermione just sat there, her mouth slightly open. She at first thought that she was hearing things, or that he was playing a weird joke on her. "Are you serious?"

"Yes. He offered me everything, literally. I told him that I would only answer after I talked to you."

"What are you going to do?"

"You're my mate. We'll decide this together." He replied, sitting down again and taking her small hands in his. He was distracted when he ran his fingers over hers and felt the stone that he had just put there. He shook his head and tried to keep his concentration.

Hermione just looked at him for a few seconds. "You have to take the offer. I mean, having them on our side would prevent loss of life from our side."

"And after the war, we might need to move to Eursika. We'll need to rule."

"We'll cross that hurdle when we get there. Besides, you can't honestly say that you wouldn't like the idea of having so many people to lord over."

Draco smirked at that. He had definitely had enough training to boss people around, but to sussesfully rule them, to lead that many people would be extremely difficult. "I'll only do this if I have your support. One word from you and I'll leave it all behind."

"We'll work through everything when we get there. We just need to concentrate on one thing at a time." Hermione said with a smile.

"I love you, you know." Draco said, lifting their joined hands and placing kisses on her finger tips.

"I should hope so, since you've just proposed to me."

Before Draco could answer, the door burst open and in walked Dumbledore, Harry, Ron and Snape. He frowned but didn't speak when he felt her squeeze his hand. "I thought I asked for us to be left alone for a bit?"

"What happened?" Harry asked before anyone else had a chance to speak.

"We met with my great grandfather and we'll have to hammer out the details, but we're getting their support. We need to get some details together and talk about some things, but it looks like we're getting the soldier from them." Draco could immediately see the relief pour out of the newcomers and pulled on Hermione's hand.

"Please, I know that this is important, but we've had a long day and tomorrow is going to be even longer."

"Yes, of course my dear boy. You both go on to bed and we can discus everything in the morning." Dumbledore said with a smile.

Draco nodded and practically dragged Hermione out the room. Hermione had to run to keep up with his fast pace and longer strides and by the time they get to her room, she was out of breath.

Draco walked over to the bed and closed the curtains, throwing up privacy and silencing wards all around. "Now, it's really just us two, no interruptions." Draco whispered, leaning in to kiss her.

"Wait, Draco." Hermione said gently, pushing him back and sitting on the bed. "Don't we need to talk about this a little more?"

"What is there to talk about?" Draco asked, pulled her to lay with him at the head of the bed.

"Well, why didn't you tell me that you can read minds?" She asked, trying to get his mind away from her body and that look in his eyes again.

"What are you talking about? I only can to legilimens like everybody else." Draco replied, trying to lean down to kiss her neck.

Hermione frowned at this, pushing him and sitting up. "When did you cast that spell on me?"

"I never have."

"Then the house? How could you possibly know that that was my dream house? You had everything there, right down to the curtains on the windows. There is no way possible that you could have guessed so many things right."

"I have my ways." Draco said vaguely.

"What ways are those? I've never told anybody what I wanted and it was all there tonight."

"Why does it matter how I know what I do, I just got you what you wanted." Draco replied evasively.

"Draco, how did you know?" Hermione asked, framing his face with her hands and forcing him to look into her eyes.

"When are you going to be honest with me and let me in through all your walls? When are you going to stop hiding all these secrets?" Draco replied.

It took a few seconds for her to think, but the realization of what must have happened it her like a bag of bricks. She slowly backed away from him to sit back on her legs. "You read my diary?" It wasn't really a question, more like a plea for him to disprove her thought.

Draco didn't know how to reply, exactly. He could either lie and make something up right on the spot or tell the truth and hope that she would get over it quickly or else he would have to use his pheromones. "I needed a way to make you say yes to my proposal. I wanted you to know that I love you and would get you anything and everything that you could possibly ever want."

"So you invaded my privacy and tried to buy me with a house?" Hermione asked quietly, beginning to stand up.

"Hermione, it's not like that. You weren't here and I was on the bed. I thought it was strange for you to hide a book and I just looked through it. I should have known these things. You're my mate yet you tell me nothing."

"Please get out of here. I need to be alone."

"Hermione, don't overreact."

"Overreact? You have just ruined whatever trust I had in you! You've seen my diary before and knew what it was. You deliberately took a look at something that you had no right to see." Hermione said harshly. She stood up but was immediately pulled back down and under Draco.

"Don't be like this, Hermione. You're making a big deal out of nothing. You are my mate; mine alone and I have rights. I have not even exercised them all yet for your comfort and I won't be spoken to in that tone. I only did this to make you happy." Draco replied, his fangs coming out as he felt Hermione breathing harshly under him.

"So you tried to deceive me? Didn't you think that what we have was real enough to come to me with honesty and just ask me?" Hermione said, lowering her voice. She tried to twist her wrist out of the painful hold but that only made Draco squeeze tighter.

"I didn't mean it like that, Hermione. Please don't make me have to force you to behave."

Hermione narrowed her eyes. She nodded and let herself go limp under him.

"Good, I'm sor-"

Draco didn't have a chance to finish his sentence before Hermione had managed to free her arm and land a fist as hard as she could right on his nose. When he rose to clutch his face, she took the opportunity to get out from under him and grab her wand from the nightstand.

She quickly made her way out of the room and down the hall, to the only room where she could feel free to speak her mind. She knocked on Narcissa's door and received a quiet 'enter'. She knew that Draco would recover quickly and come after her. She wasn't scared though, she knew that she could defend herself if need be, even from him.

"You don't look well, my dear. What has happened?" The older woman asked, coming to her while wrapping a grey silk robe around her nightgown.

Hermione explained everything as fast as she could, pausing only to breathe. Narcissa was about to comment when there was a pounding on the door. "Take your wand and be at the ready. He's a bit testy since it's this close to mating season so it might take a spell to calm him down. Go hide in the closet and only come out when I say or when necessary." Narcissa whispered, pushing the smaller girl into the wardrobe.

She threw a quick ward over the doors, knowing it wouldn't hold up against Draco for too long before the door gave way with a sudden jerk and there stood her son, as angry as she had ever seen him. Blood was coming from his nose and she suspected correctly that Hermione had been the cause.

"Don't start your meddling, mother. Give her to me." Draco said, the calm in his voice frightening her.

"Darling, I think you both need to calm down. Hermione told me what happened. You must realize that you were wrong to go snooping around in her private things."

"Mother, I'm warning you not to interfere. Give her to me and go back to bed."

"I will not. You'll have to go through me first." Narcissa said bravely, standing straighter and drawing her wand.

"You think that just because you're my mother that I won't get you out of the way?" Draco said with a growl.

Hermione could see and hear everything through the keyhole of the armoire and drew a breath. She couldn't let the older woman be hurt for her and had to trust the fact that she had read a few times that a vampire wouldn't really hurt their mates in anger. With that thought in mind, she took a deep breath and opened the door.

Voices were going off in her head, making her think she was mad for a second when she realized that it must be what all accounts said was the 'mate' side of her personality. One part of her wanted to raise her arm and said a stunner in his direction. The other half was yelling for her to submit, to kneel down in front of the blonde and beg for forgiveness and offer him her body to do with as he pleased. As it was, she just stood there, looking right at him, but pleadingly and not in contest.

"Come with me." Draco said in a low voice.

Hermione nodded and walked towards him. He turned and walked out the room, missing the look that passed between the women. Hermione quickly grasped Narcissa's hand and gave a squeeze.

She walked quietly behind Draco. When he walked into the study he just left the door open and walked over to the fireplace.

Hermione walked in and closed the door gently behind her. She slowly walked over to the couch, wand still in hand and the small dagger that Moody had given all of the girls concealed with a simple charm against her left calf. She sat down carefully, the weight of the gown finally becoming too much for her.

"I've read a lot on what it means to be a dominant vampire. Do you know that about 90 percent of the women in our place would have been beaten to within an inch of her life? A daywalker loves their mate, lives for her. But he also dominates her, keeps her in the image that he feels is right. I've been trying so hard to treat you with leniency, for us to be a normal couple. I don't want to turn into a monster. I love you, before a new for sure that I would get this inheritance and I don't want to lose that feeling."

"I refuse to be some little puppet for you, Draco. If you truly loved me, you wouldn't have me be one little submissive wife."

"No, I wouldn't and that's what's tearing me apart. It's like I have two different personalities in me. I'm not the best person by nature, but I'm trying my best to be a good man for you. To be a good mate and husband, but without any proof of your feelings for me, my brain all confused."

"I do love you. I've said it plenty of times and I don't know how to convince you that I really do. I thought me accepting your proposal would be enough." Hermione replied.

"Words can easily be taken back or denied."

"I'm not ready to sleep with you, Draco. And if that's why you've asked me to marry you, then we'll just forget about it and go back to normal." Hermione said back, standing and walking over to him.

"That's not why I did it. We're married in the eyes of the wizarding world, we're married already. You have no idea how embarrassing it was for me to know that all those people, who will be our subjects if talks go through, saw us today and knew that you were still untouched."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know that you felt that way."

"What are we going to do in two weeks when mating season starts? We not sleeping together is not possible."

"Would you force me?"

"No, I don't think it will come to that. The mate in you will win and you will be coming to me willingly. Whether it's on your own account or mostly your submissive personality coming out it will be up to you." Draco said, finally turning to her.

"I didn't think that reading your diary would be so offensive. I just wanted to know everything about you and that was the fastest way."

"Please trust me Draco. I love you, but I'm new to this whole relationship thing. I just need time." Hermione said, wrapping her arms around his waist. She had no idea why she was forgiving him so soon.

Draco returned the hug. He had felt terrified when the full realization came crashing down as he walked into the room and he knew how close he had come to losing her. He inhaled her unique scent as she snuggled into his chest and knew that he wanted to have an actual marriage with her, an even partnership and they would both have to struggle with in the future, but if they could work on the whole conversation thing, it would all be fine.

AN: Sorry I'm a few days late, computer issues. I'll repost this after I get it back from my beta and I'm already working on the next, so the wait won't be forever.

Reviews make my fingers type faster!!


	37. Chapter 37

AN: Hey y'all. I'm truly sorry for waiting this long. I'm starting to get over the morning sickness and things are settling. The bump is getting bigger and I feel story ideas and I have an outline ready for this story. The next chapter is 5 pages long so far and i'll probably post it by Tuesday night. Till then, please send reviews!!

Pansy laid on her bed, holding her head up with her right hand and staring at a sleeping Ron. She had performed the spell to check for pregnancy about ten times, almost every time she had a few spare minutes alone.

The young man peacefully snoring next to her was the father of her child. A little baby was now growing inside her and she couldn't help but be a bit afraid. She was a Slytherin and she would follow her plan until it soured, but now there was a child involved. She had never thought of herself as a motherly before, but she had loved this babe as soon as she confirmed her condition. The only question was how to tell her lover now.

She felt such a deep love for the redhead that it frightened her at times. She had always been practical, never caring much about anyone, save for Draco. But now there was this boy that had made her throw caution to the wind and had her nerves in a terrible state over what would happened when they returned to the school in two days.

Last night she had received an owl meant for Ron while he was in the shower. After accepting it, she sent the tiny black barn owl back and looked to see who the sender was. Lavender Browns' name glared at her in the purple ink and made her want to be sick. She had thrown it into the fire immediately but the threat was still there.

The whole school had known about the relationship that the two had and it made her nervous. She was all the way one the other side of the school at night and they would be separated for most of the day. She knew that the girl was going to try something and she didn't regret for a second getting pregnant.

She would need to start dropping hints on her condition that very day and hopefully Draco wouldn't kill her boyfriend. She sighed and turned over, snuggling up to the sleeping boy. She could truly tell herself that she was besotted with him, loved him with a passion that surprised her.

Being in love with him was a definite change in lifestyle and company wasn't something that she had ever thought would happen, especially with a Weasley. She had expected to be married off with some rich older pureblood, someone to make a good looking son with and live a privileged but lonely life.

Now her role model was Mrs. Weasley and she could just imagine herself with a half dozen children running about and herself being a loving housewife. And the fact that they might have money issues didn't bother her at all, she would be willing to work to get ahead and that thought didn't bother her one bit. Money, she found, wasn't what made a person happy. She didn't mind being poor or not having unnecessary luxuries.

A quick tempus spell told her it was a while before dawn, so she snuggled closer to the redhead's side and closed her eyes, dream of the large family that she wanted.

Ginny laughed to herself as she looked down at Harry's glazed eyes. Just because she had promised her mother and herself that she would marry while still a virgin and she meant to keep that promise, but that didn't mean that she had to be deprived or a perfect saint either.

She pulled the covers up to his waist and laid down next to give, giving him some time to get a hold of himself. It was always the same amazed and most beautiful smile in the world when harry gave that first sweet smile as if saying thank you or something else would ruin the peaceful moment.

She curled up next to him and waited. As always, he turned his head towards her and gave her one of his perfects smiles. She pushed back his hair from his sweaty forehead and leaned in for a kiss.

Harry was in heaven. He looked over and saw his girlfriends' smiling face and couldn't stop the grin that was forming. "Have I told you lately that you're bloody fantastic?" Harry asked panting.

"A girl can't hear that often enough." She answered, placing tiny kisses all over his face.

"I love you, Ginn, I really do." He said seriously, holding her face to place an intense kiss on her lips. "When all this is over, we'll get married, I swear it."

"Oh, and I suppose you will want us to start our gaggle of children right away."

"Maybe not right away, but we have plenty of time for that. I want us to enjoy life. I want to travel, to give you everything you want."

"I just want you to come away from all this safely. We're all here to help and support you, Harry. You're not alone in this." Ginny said, snuggling closer to his side.

"I will. I promise to try my damned best to come out of this. I have you to fight for. And our 12 children. "He added with a nudge.

"If you think that we're having 12 kids, I hope you're planning on giving birth to at least half of them. "

Harry had a good laugh at that, then propped his head up with his hands. "What if I asked really nice? I want our home full of children."

"If you come back safely, then you can have anything you ask for."

Draco used the light from the lone candle to read over the contracts that needed to be sent out by the morning. Hermione was at his side, buried under the covers so that only the top of her curls could be seen.

He smiled down and turned back towards his parchment. He had the stack that his mother had drawn up for him in order to start the wedding procedures and he wanted to get started on them as soon as possible. He knew that he wouldn't want to have the standard pureblood contract that was drawn up at the start of a traditional engagement. That would in itself take too long to clear through the ministry. The medical test was something that he might not be able to keep her away from the examination.

Traditional weddings meant that the bride had to submit herself to be checked magically and physically to prove that she was a virgin. While he knew the truth, others would talk and question on why the standards hadn't been used on such an important wedding. His mother had only shown him the stack of papers and given him a serious look. He couldn't expose her to such gossip so early in life and he knew how ruthless the media could be.

He would need to somehow convince her and make sure things happened at a much faster pace. They only had a few days of summer holidays left and mating season would be starting the second week of school.


	38. Chapter 38

AN: I'm sorry that this has taken forever. Real life reared its ugly head and it was a bit much to handle. Everything is calm now and hopefully will stay that way. Next chapter is the wedding and after that of course the wedding night. Again, a million apologies for the long wait. Read and review please.

Narcissa smiled as she heard the gentle knock on the door to her room. The flowery scent of his sons scent was now a fixture in her room. Their daily teas had become a highlight of her days and she loved the fact that the girl had wanted to spend time with her even with her parents still there.

The younger woman came in with a smile, and closed the door behind her with a soft click. "Are you busy?"

"Of course not, my darling. Come in, dear. I have tea here for us already." Narcissa answered with a smile. She took out a thick folder and placed it in front of her seat.

She had dreamed about her only sons wedding since she had found out that she was expecting and now it was close by. She already loved Hermione like a daughter and her mind was focused on getting them married as soon as possible.

As Hermione sat down, the door opened quickly and Draco came in, a smile lighting up his face when he saw that Hermione was already there. He walked over to her and bent down to place a gentle kiss on her lips.

"Good, Draco. I was just giving Hermione a copy of the marriage contracts and some ideas on weddings."

Draco sifted uncomfortably, making Hermione really look at him. Ever since his inheritance, and even before, he had always been in severe control of his body. The dark circles under his grey blue eyes were more pronounced then last night and he had a sickly pallor and pinched looked on his face.

She wanted to ask him what was wrong but he had his attention to his mother. She saw a scowl forming as Narcissa began speaking and she turned her attention to the older woman.

"I put the standard marriage contract that everyone signs in there for you to look at, dear." Narcissa said, handing her the thick brown folder.

"I also included the paperwork for a healer's examination. This is strictly tradition and it in no way implies any doubt on your honor at all, it's only customary."

Hermione looked at Draco and noticed that his whole body was tense and he wasn't looking at her. "Mother, I really don't think this is necessary. I'm perfectly happy to take her word for it." Draco said.

Now Hermione was really concerned. His voice sounded rough and his hands shook. She brought her hand up to his and noticed how much colder it was. She squeezed it gently, her brow creasing when the smile he sent her way didn't reach his eyes.

"It's ok Draco. How bad could it be?" She whispered so that only he could hear.

Draco pulled his hand away and went to sit across from his mother. "It's not needed. If anyone has an issue with it, they could take it up with me."

With that, he stood up abruptly. "Excuse me." He said as he left.

"Let him go, Hermione. He needs to cool off." Narcissa said calmly when the younger woman stood to go after her son.

"I don't think he's feeling well." Hermione replied, still not retaking her seat.

"He's not feeding. Human food is fine for us, but it doesn't replace our need for blood. I don't think he's really fed since last month."

"Why would he do that?"

"He has his reasons. Maybe the two of you have some things to discuss."

"I think I will." With that, Hermione ran out of the room, looking for the blond.

She looked until she spotted him in the library a few minute later and tried to appear as calm as she could. "Can I talk to you?"

He seemed to tense for a second and then relaxed and smiled. "Of course. I hardly get to spend time alone with you since you and mother have been planning this wedding."

Hermione blushed heavily. It was true, their last few days of summer holidays were ending and all her spare time was spent away from the boy. It was even worse through since he had stopped coming to her bed at night, preferring to spend hours in the library studying his books and charts.

She walked over slowly to him, standing before him and reached out to touch the side of his face, but before her fingertips reached his skin, his icy grip and her hand was put down to her side.

"Please don't touch me right now." Draco said his voice barely above a whisper.

"Tell me what I did wrong, Draco. I don't know why you should be mad at me." Hermione answered back.

"I thought I could handle everything. That I could be normal and give you the time that you needed to accept the role that you were made to play in my life. But I'm a Slytherin and I being as noble as I can be by distancing myself from you until you're ready. I can't lie next to you in bed and not have you. I thought I could do it, but I really can't. I can't make myself resist you any longer."

"I'm not scared of being bitten, Draco. Go ahead, if it will make things easier for you, then please do."

I wouldn't stop with just drinking your blood, Hermione. I don't have that much self control. I wouldn't believe how hard it has been all these weeks with you so near but unclaimed. You should be pregnant with our child right now but you're still a virgin. I could have very easily used my pheromones on you and we wouldn't be having this conversation, but I want us to have as normal as a relationship as possible and I know you would have hated me for a while when you awoke the next morning."

Hermione just stared at the raw expression that was on the vampires face. The mask was completely gone and her heart poured out her love for the young man in front on her. "I have all the faith in the world in you, Draco. We could get married right now if that would make things easier for you."

"I'm not going to force this on you when you're clearly not ready."

"Yes I am. Like you said, our marriage is inevitable. Why have you suffer any longer. I love you and you love me. The rest will work itself out." At that instant, Hermione knew that she was speaking straight from her heart and she was willing to follow her feelings.

"I'll sign whatever needs to be signed and do anything else that needs to be done. Just please don't turn away from me. I was so scared of what was going on."

"Sorry, it's just hard sometimes. It seems like we have some things to work out, but if you're honestly sure, then we'll get married as soon as I can arrange it." Draco said, standing and holding her warm smaller hands in his.

"Ok, go ahead and get everything ready. I'll tell the others." Hermione barely had time to finish her sentence before he kissed her quickly and flew out the room in a blur. His speed now was something that still shocked her and made her dizzy at times.

Less than 15 seconds later, Narcissa blew into the room; a huge smile lighted her face like never before as she went to hold the younger woman in a tight embrace. "Is it true? Are you marrying Draco tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow?"

"Yes. All the paperwork can be done and sent in this very morning and the healer called in for this afternoon. After that, all we need is someone to perform the rights and you'll be married. Oh, I finally have a daughter! I can't begin to tell you how happy you have just made me!" Narcissa exclaimed, kissing her cheeks and holding her tightly.

Hermione's head was spinning at the speed of Narcissa's words, only managing to catch half of them. The weight of the ostentatious ring was very much in the forefront of her mind and she made a fist her left hand.

"Let's go tell the girls. Come now, we haven't much time to waste." Narcissa said, pulling the younger girl along.

*****************

Hermione stood nervously, fingernails bitten down harshly as she waited with Pansy and Ginny outside of the study. All three girls saw when an ancient looking healer was brought in by an auror.

Narcissa, Draco and the healer had been in the room for the past ten minutes. Hermione had changed into a thin shift that Narcissa had ordered her to wear and now she wanted with her two best girlfriends. Their reaction to the news had been just like Narcissa's. Pansy and Ginny had been talking about how to make sure that the rushed wedding would have to be planned to make room to have a proper one later on.

Hermione stared and Pansy, trying to figure out what was different in the girl. It helped her nerves to concentrate on something and she picked her friend. It was as if she was hiding something and it was something big.

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the opening door. She tensed as she saw that the middle of the room had been cleared and in there was a square metal cube with sheets all around.

"Miss. Granger? I am Patrick Niles, the chief healer of the Malfoy family for over 50 years. Please come in."

Hermione looked back and forth between her two friends for a few seconds, receiving an encouraging hug and smile from Ginny. The redhead had to go back to the training room with Ron and Harry and she was only allowed on friend with her. Pansy had volunteered since she had grown up with the custom.

The two girls walked in slowly, Hermione nervously looking towards Draco. He tried to give her an encouraging smile but it was too tense.

"Now, Madame. I have been made to understand that you claim to be a virgin?"

"Yes, sir." Hermione replied, walking over to the old man.

"Now stand over here in the middle of the screen and try to relax."

Hermione stood were he pointed, holding onto Pansy's hand in a tight grip. Her eyes were glued to Draco's face as the sheets around her were raised higher, up to neck all around. She realized why this was needed when the white shift that she was wearing turned much shearer. She felt Pansy squeeze her hand and knew that she wouldn't be forced to expose herself unnecessarily.

"Now stay very still, Madame." With that, Hermione felt ice running through her body. It was as if the old man had submerged her into icy water and it was seeping into her bones. She felt a few hot spots around her body but not enough to offer and comfort.

She tried to focus on the warm spots, but they were so small and random that she instead tried to figure out why such random parts of her body were so hot.

"Very well, Madame. Now try not to move, this might be painful." The withered voice said, and at once Hermione felt pain between her thighs. Pansy's strong grasp around her shoulders was the only thing that kept her from the floor as she cried out in agony.

"Enough!" She heard Draco call out from somewhere that sounded far away. A second later, the pain was gone, leaving a strange ache.

"You did wonderful." Pansy whispered in her ear as she leaned against her friend.

Pansy wrapped the smaller girl in a robe and lead her out the room, knowing that a warm cup of tea and rest were the best way to get her in shape for the final training tonight.

*****************

"Well?" Draco stared down at the old short man with poorly disguised hate.

"I must congratulate you, Lord Malfoy. It is not every day that one comes across so innocent a mind. Only two others have been upon her and she has no thoughts of them."

"What others?"

"I can assure you that there were a while ago. From the position of the touching, it was done while kissing and kept over clothing and as innocent as I've ever seen in a girl as pleasing to look at and at her age."

Draco had to smile at that. It still burned his blood to know that two others had been there before him, but the best prize was still his. Her pained filled whimpers had hurt him deeply but it was over now and by tomorrow night, she would be his wife.

"There is a rather delicate matter that I wish to discuss with you, Draco." Healer Niles had been a healer for over 70 years, most of which was dedicated to being the primary healer for the Malfoy family, he had delivered the young man standing in front of him and had been there for all major and minor medical things during his life, so he felt it was his duty to speak clearly.

"I'm sure it has not escaped your attention on the girls' size."

"Yes, she is rather on the petite size, but is that a problem?" Narcissa asked, standing next to her son.

"Well, you remember your condition, Madame. Your body was better equipped to handle the rigors of pregnancy."

"Are you saying that my mate is not capable of having my children?" Draco asked with a horrified expression.

"She is capable, but for her health, I would advise a few years for her body to mature properly. You are both so young, perhaps a well placed long term contraceptive charm should give you both a few years to enjoy your youth and the early years of marriage."

"You overstep your boundaries old man." Draco said angrily, heading for the door.

"Draco, perhaps the healer is right, after all, you both are still teenagers and there's plenty of time to start a family." Narcissa called out.

"Mother, I'm marrying my mate tomorrow and she'll give me children when the time is right. Don't meddle in this." Draco replied coldly.

***************

Pansy led Hermione to their room, quickly warding the room with a silent spell and taking the other girl to her bed. "There. A few hours rest and you'll be as good as new." Pansy said gently, holding her friends hand.

"I'm sorry to be a burden. I wasn't expecting anything to hurt like that." Hermione whispered.

"Don't be silly, you're no burden at all. It would have been better if they would have warned you, but what's done I done and now there will be a wedding and you'll be happy."

Hermione was about to answer, but the door suddenly opened and Draco walked in. His smile was instant when he saw her on the bed and walked over, too fast for her to see. "I've sent all the paperwork to the ministry. Get together with Mother so the wedding plans can be finalized. I'll ask Dumbledore to officiate and we'll be married tomorrow." Draco said into her ear, kissing her after every few words.

"If you two are really getting married tomorrow, then you can't see each other. Its tradition." Pansy said, pulling Draco's arm. "Go now and send your mother and Ginny if you see her. We have too much to do and no time."

Draco kissed Hermione deeply before succumbing to Pansy's yanking and went out, a smile still on his face as he realized that in less than 24 hours, his mate would finally fully belong to him.


	39. Chapter 39

Hermione took one last look around the room. All the trunks were downstairs and ready to be taken directly to Hogwarts. The headmaster and aurors thought it too dangerous for the six of them to go on the train and it was decided that they should go back via floo.

As she turned to leave the room, she caught sight of her reflection in the mirror. She had already changed into her uniform, the shiny head girl medal gleaming in the low light made her smile. Dumbledore had given Draco and herself their badges and room assignments, hinting that instead of the usual suite of rooms that came with the positions, they would have a tower at their disposal.

Pansy and Ron had surprised them all by announcing Pansy's pregnancy and while it looked like Draco would most likely kill Ron, Hermione had held him back and calmed him down a bit before anything rash happened. Pansy had then claimed that she wanted to wait until after the baby was born to be married, claiming that she didn't want to be 'as big as a whale' in her wedding dress.

Draco had been about to faint when he heard that but then Hermione pulled him away and they just sat down to talk. Hermione was sorry that she had been neglecting him but promised herself that she would be more attentive to him.

She bit her bottom lip. She had last seen Draco yesterday, after Pansy held pulled them apart after the medical test and she had not expected the lost and lonely feelings that she was having without the blonde. She had woken up to find Hedwig tapping away at the window this morning, a note and a yellow rose attached to her leg.

She ran to the window to let the snowy owl in and brought the flower up to her nose. She smiled wider as she unrolled the parchment and recognized Draco's elegant handwriting.

_My Love,_

_I couldn't sleep without you by my side; the bed was freezing and too flat. Remind me to kill Pans after she delivers our niece or nephew. Just think that the next time we see each other will be for our wedding, that's the only thought that stops me from storming to your room and bed. I'll be seeing you soon, my love, my heart, my life. Just know that all my thoughts are of you._

_Unconditionally yours, _

_Draco_

Hermione had folded the letter carefully and looked down to her wristwatch. It made her a bit dizzy to think that in less than six hours, she would be a wife. The thought was a bit overwhelming, but her mind was made up.

Dumbledore had agreed to perform the ceremony and the ministry had agreed with their contract after he had hinted on what would happen to the money that the Malfoy family usually donated to the ministry.

Things were moving fast, extremely fast but she had made up her mind and she wouldn't hurt Draco like that.

She made her way downstairs, hoping that it was too close to the time they had to leave to avoid anymore wedding talk. Narcissa, Ginny and Pansy had tried to monopolize her free time with wedding plans and trying to make a big deal out of the event.

Draco and herself had both agreed that they would prefer a simple wedding but Narcissa had brought up the subject that a Malfoys' wedding would have to be a public event so they would need to have a second wedding after things had calmed down. She didn't see the point, but went along with everything that they were planning.

The fireplace roared to life and she saw her father stumble in with Professor Vector. "Daddy!" Hermione exclaimed and ran to meet the man. She hugged him tightly, ignoring her favorite teacher for a moment and stepped back to look at him.

He looked much better then she had remembered. Something in the back of her mind said that it was due to her young professor. "You're looking good, dad."

"Not as good as you, poppet. I leave you alone for a few days and now you're to be married. Make me feel ancient here."

"Hello, Professor." Hermione said politely.

"Ms. Granger. I'm told that congratulations are in order."

"Thank you, ma'am."

"Well, why don't we move from here and see if we could be of some help."

----------------------------------------------------

Draco, Harry and Ron made their way up to the tower that Dumbledore had told them to go. Draco forced himself to concentrate on walking, knowing that his mate was so far from him, but there were still things that needed to be done.

Dumbledore had agreed to perform the short ceremony as soon as the sun set, to give them a better chance of secrecy. He didn't care either way, but agreed that things might be easier if his housemates didn't know the details of his relationship.

He tried to be active in the conversation, but when he realized that the topic was Ginny and Pansy, that just made the ache in his heart deeper. His dress robes were ready in his trunk and the wedding band safely with Harry.

He looked around the room, allowing his pride overtake him for a minute. This was the top, the best position, the peak of his scholarly career. He had earned this himself, not his last name and he couldn't be any prouder then the knowledge that his mate had earned the same honor.

The tower had three floors for their use. The first was a large common room, with book shelves lining two walls. The second floor held three bedrooms; one for Ron and Pansy and the other two for Harry and Ginny, along with a discrete warning from the headmaster that very strong wards were in place to make sure that all the school rules would be followed.

He frowned when he noticed that Hermione's trunks were in Ginny's room, but the thought that they would be sharing one of the apartments calmed him. He rubbed the small medal on the collar of his robes and smiled, he wanted to send Hermione another letter, but thought against it. The girls must be getting her ready and he wouldn't delay them any longer.

Dumbledore had agreed to marry them at sunset and nothing was going to stand in the way. His solicitor had come through and secured the changes in her status and would receive compensation for the extra hours.

He knew the wedding was being rushed, that she deserved a lavish ceremony fit for a queen, but that would have to wait. They wouldn't be able to have a proper honeymoon, only a few hours after the ceremony, then back to school to pretend that they weren't married. He didn't know how to argue against that, knowing that the Slytherin's would seek to harm his mate if they knew everything.

Then there was the problem of being around people, men especially. For the past two months, he had learned to deal with the scent of Harry and Ron being on her, knowing that they viewed her as a sister and nothing more, but now there would be hundreds of men around her and they might be away from each other during the day.

He had inherited being on the board of governors of Hogwarts from his father but could not use the privileges while he was still a student, or else he would have already arranged for the both of them to have the same schedule.

*********************

Hermione huffed as Ginny once again turned her away from the mirror. Narcissa and Pansy had every single item of clothing from all four wardrobes out on the beds, whispering to each other furiously.

"Oh!" Hermione exclaimed at a particularly hard tug from Ginny. She heard transfiguration spells being cast and got smacked in the forearm by Ginny.

"Hold still! How can I finish my masterpiece if you keep on moving so much?"

"I told you I don't like too much makeup, Gin."

"And I told you that I'm only bringing out your features. Trust me; Draco is going to go mad when he sees you."

With that, Hermione tried stay still to get it over with. She twisted her engagement ring around her finger, smiling to herself at the thought of what would happen in a couple of hours.

She had calmed down and now was just waiting with eagerness to see her husband. _Husband. _ She had never even thought that someone would ever want her, a plain looking bookworm. But the most sought after bachelor in the wizarding world loved her and by tonight would be hers.

"There!" Pansy exclaimed, pulling Hermione out of her little daydream. She turned and a gasp left her lips.

There was a pile of white cloth on the floor in front of them but they were holding up a beautiful white dress with an empire waist. The bodice was encrusted with crystals and a full skirt was just perfectly simple. Hermione reached out to touch the silk as a tear ran down her cheek.

"Careful with your makeup." Ginny said quietly, waving her wand over her best friends face.

"I just hope that it won't be too cold. I have a white wrap that you can use, but it doesn't really go with the dress." Narcissa said with a smile.

The four girls spent the next hour carefully slipping Hermione into the dress and arraigning white and blue flowers in her hear.

"Why don't you two go ahead and floo to the school? See if the boys are ready." Narcissa said after they were all done.

Hermione and Narcissa were silent as Ginny and Pansy left with their garment bags. Hermione watched as Narcissa went over to the vanity and picked up a large carved oak box. "Now, before we go, I have one more thing to give you." Narcissa said with a gentle smile. She motioned the young girl over sat her down, expertly maneuvering the folds of the gown.

"Now, these has been in the Black family for over 500 years. It has been passed down from mother to daughter for generations. I have none of my own and you will be my daughter after tonight. I have grown to love you so much, and I hope that you will grow to love me like a mother." By this time the older woman had tears running down her face.

Hermione grasped her hand in both of hers, squeezing Narcissa's hand in hers. The large box was still between them and Narcissa placed it on the younger girls lap. She slowly opened the box holding her breath for a few seconds.

Nestled inside was a large diamond and pearl wreath necklace with matching earrings, bracelet and hairpins. "I can't possibly take this, Narcissa." Hermione whispered, trying to push the box back.

"It has been gathering dust for almost twenty years. You're joining our family, so it is yours. And when you have a daughter that is about to be married, I hope that you will pass this down to her as well. It is one of the few things that are good from my family and I would like to keep the tradition going. Come now, the sun will set soon and we have to be out of the forest before night settles."

"Thank you, Narcissa, for everything." Hermione said softly.

*************************

Draco paced the dirt road that led to the forbidden forest. All his friends were finishing getting dressed and they were waiting for Dumbledore to lead them over into the small clearing that had been prepared this morning by some of the professors.

He couldn't help but be nervous. This was what he had wanted for months, ever since he had first realized his true feelings for the girl. Now with their wedding coming up, he wanted to get it over with. Mating season started at midnight and he didn't want Hermione to be traumatized if he couldn't control himself during their first intimate time.

Severus had already given him a few potions to take before tonight and he immediately knew that it was at his mother's insistence when he inspected the vials and found that one of the potions was a contraceptive.

He had immediately dumped it down the drain, but not before thinking about it do a few seconds. He had refused to listen to the healer's advice because of the nature of his relationship with his mate. They were meant to have children. Her body was built for him; he wanted children so that was what would happen.

He wasn't worried about Hermione, she was a petite girl, but she was sturdy. She wouldn't have made it through all the years of mischief with Harry and Ron if she was as fragile as the healer had implied. He patted the pocket of his dress robes once again as he spotted his friends and Dumbledore walking out.

Hermione would be there soon with his mother and her father and he couldn't wait. The sun was starting to sink quickly and he let out a deep breath as they approached.

"Are you ready?" Dumbledore asked, placing his arm lightly around Draco's shoulder.

"Of course."

"Very well then my boy. The clearing is just up ahead." With that, the small group followed the ancient man up the path.

Someone had set candles to float all around and fire fairies had joined and were dancing around them, causing a small smile to come from Draco. Harry and Ron went to stand next to him and for a brief moment, he missed his former friend Blaise. He had known the other boy all his life, but now that the war upon them, the lines had been cemented and he would have to face him on the opposite of the battle field soon. He quickly removed the thoughts from his mind as he caught the sweet flowery scent of his mate.

************

Hermione walked slowly arm in arm. She had about a thousand butterflies in her stomach, but it didn't matter. She couldn't wait to see Draco and had to slow down when her father chuckled at her quickened pace.

Out of the corner of her eyes she had noticed several aurors roaming around in the background to make sure that they were safe. She took deep breath as she came up to the line of trees and the three of them went through, shivering when they passed the wards.

Hermione's eyes immediately snapped up to meet Draco's and she smiled when she saw the look in his eyes and Harry had to nudge him to remind him to breathe. She desperately hoped that he wasn't disappointed with her appearance, since he had kept his promise to leave his hair natural and not plaster it to his scalp anymore.

When her father placed her hand gently into her mates, she felt an electric shock through her body, and knew that he felt it too. He bent down to kiss her and was stopped right before his lips touched hers when Dumbledore cleared his throat.

"I don't think we are at that part quite yet." The old man said, earning laughs from the group. He cleared his throat again and withdrew several ribbons, and handed one to each witness. Harry, Ron and Hermione's father wrapped them around their intertwined hands, followed by the women.

"We are all here to bear witness to the blessed joining of these two hearts. I understand that time is very limited, so let us bear witness to their vows. Draco, if you would please begin."

Draco cleared his throat. "I, Draco Malfoy, choose you, Hermione Granger, as my everything. I vow to love you through sickness and health, through the good and the bad, through richer and poorer. You are everything I need, and at this moment I know that all my prayers have been answered and that all of my dreams have come true. This is the moment I have waited my whole life for. I promise to give you my all and I know that I could not ask for more from you. I love you and always will. This is my solemn vow."

Hermione had tears running down her face as Draco spoke. She saw that his eyes were red with unshed tears and couldn't comprehend the vast love that she felt for the man in front of her and the true miracle was that he felt the same way about her.

From this moment, I, Hermione Granger, take you, Draco Malfoy, as my best friend for life. I pledge to honor, encourage, and support you through our walk together. When our way becomes difficult, I promise to stand by you and uplift you, so that through our union we can accomplish more than we could alone. I promise to work at our love and always make you a priority in my life. With every beat of my heart, I will love you. This is my solemn vow."

Ginny and Harry came forward with platinum bands and Dumbledore waved his wand his wand over them a few times. "Now I ask you both to give these symbols that you have chosen to each other and take that moment to reflect on your lives together."

Draco and Hermione exchanged rings with trembling hands. "Now Draco, you may thank you wife."

With that, Draco pulled Hermione's body to his kissed her with all the love that he felt and barely noticed the catcalls from his friends. Hermione was his wife and nothing would change that.


	40. Chapter 40

AN: The link to the wedding gown is: .com/dress_?gid=220&sfid=50893&f=

Nightgown link is: .?catalog%5Fname=Holiday2002&category%5Fname=Lingerie-Bridal&product%5Fid=45501

I want to say thank you to all the reviews and especially my beta margaritama for her advice and better grammer. Go check out her stories because they're awesome. Please leave comments, questions, suggestions and I'll make sure I'll answer them all over the course of the week. This is my first lemon, so be kind! Also, I wrote certain things for a reason and I just ask ya'll to bear with me. Thanks again!!

Draco severely missed having his wand to aim at the red head that had pulled them apart from their first kiss as husband and wife. He was immediately pulled into hugs by his closest friends. He wanted to do nothing more than to take his mate and disappear for the precious few hours that Dumbledore would allow them for a honeymoon, but a groan couldn't be suppressed when Pansy pulled out a camera and declared that they needed to pose for a few pictures.

Hermione's wide smile forced one out of him and he allowed himself to be pulled this way and that by Ginny and Pansy. It was decided to have the small wedding cake that Dobby had made for them in the clearing, so with transfigured plates and cutlery, they spent the next few hours sitting on the floor and enjoying each other's company.

Narcissa put her plate down and moved over to the couple. "Dear, why don't I take Hermione and get her ready while you speak to Dumbledore about what time you should head back tomorrow?"

Draco gave his mother a hard calculating look and decided that her intentions were good. He stood up with the two and everyone followed suit. After bidding the two women goodbye, the headmaster called him over to where he was standing along with Snape.

"Draco? I'd like a word with you before you leave," Severus said, walking away to the edge of the clearing so that he was in the shadows and away from prying ears. "Have you taken the potions I gave you this morning?"

"Of course, godfather," Draco replied, fighting the feeling to roll his eyes.

"This is not a subject to be blasé about. It may not seem that way, but your wife is one of my favorite students and although I may not show it, I care for her welfare. Now, I took the liberty of making this potion. It should calm your instincts and lust for blood for a few hours."

"No!" Draco replied through clenched teeth, turning to go back to the group.

"Don't be foolish. This won't do much, just allow you to have some type of control over your actions. You'll be able to act more human and possibly prevent draining all of her blood. I highly doubt someone with your temperament would be able to have the will to pull back from something that calls to you so freely."

Draco snatched the vial out of the professor's hand and tossed it back with one gulp. "There. Are you satisfied?"

"Quite. Oh, and I will deny any praise I've made of your wife and I might let my hand slip with a few rather nasty potions over your meal if it ever gets out how I truly feel about her."

Draco laughed and walked back towards his friends, eager to get back to his wife.

******************

Hermione and Narcissa had portkeyed directly into the living room of the house that Draco had built for her. She began to explore her new home by perusing through all of the books and knick knacks that were on the shelves and end tables. However, her explorations were cut short by Narcissa who gently took her hand to lead her upstairs.

Entering the master bedroom, Narcissa resized the tiny leather bag that she held in her hand. "Sit, dear. We'll get your hair down and then you can change. We must hurry though; I don't think the headmaster and Snape will be able to stall him for long."

With those words, Hermione's nerves resurfaced and she began to fidget. She loved Draco, passionately and with all that she had, but she knew of all the girls in his past. She had heard all the talk that had spread like wildfire of his escapades and she couldn't help but be terrified that she wouldn't live up to his standards.

She sat there, wringing her hands as Narcissa took the hair pins and jewelry off, and revealed an ivory colored nightgown from the bag. "Go, slip this on and I'll just leave you with a few motherly words before Draco comes." Narcissa kissed her on the forehead and guided her to the bathroom.

Hermione closed the door behind her, taking a few seconds to collect herself. She caught sight of her reflection and just stared at her left hand, the joined rings proof that this was not a dream and that her new husband was probably only minutes away. She took off her wedding dress carefully and stripped down, fascinated when she by how the fabric of the silky nightgown felt against her skin.

Narcissa gently clear her throat as Hermione re-entered the bedroom. Hermione noticed the bed had been turned down and the lights seemed dimmer. Narcissa stood in the middle of the room with a motherly smile and open arms. Hermione rushed to her, wrapping her arms around the older woman.

"Now, now. There is no need for tears or fears. I know that tonight might be difficult, but everything will work out. Draco may not be himself totally tonight, but know that he would give his soul for one look from you."

"What if I do something wrong?"

"Nothing you do can will cause that to happen. He loves you and you love him. Just follow your heart and all will be well."

Narcissa pulled away when she heard the crack of apparition from downstairs and knew that it was Draco. She pulled away and placed another kiss on her daughter-in-law's cheek. "I'm so glad to finally have a daughter. I love you so, Hermione dear."

With one last look, Hermione watched as Narcissa left the room and then turned back towards the bed. She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she did not hear the door opening and closing again.

Draco smiled when he saw his wife's form in the gown that he had ordered for her some time back. He silently watched her, taking advantage of her obliviousness and removed most of his clothing, tossing them on the floor as he made his way to her. By the time he'd reached her, he was left in his trousers.

He wrapped his arms around her from the back, smiling when he heard the surprised gasp escape her lips. "Mrs. Malfoy." He whispered with a smile against the nape of her neck.

He felt her relax slightly at his words and gently turned her to face him. Draco felt the potion in his body and made a mental note to send his godfather a nice gift. He was in full control of his body and emotions and knew that Hermione would need him to have that power in order to guide her through this.

"I love you, my wife. I love you so very much." He whispered, leaning down to kiss her. "Please don't be scared."

"I'm just nervous," she whispered.

"I have a question. If you're standing on a cliff ready to jump, would you just run and jump or would you slowly walk towards the edge and think about it?" He asked with a smile that he hoped would ease her.

"I'm a Gryffindor, of course I'll jump right in," Hermione replied with a smile.

"Good. That's what I like to hear," he said against her lips. Slowly, without pulling his lips from hers, he moved them closer to the bed. When they were in front of the bed, he pulled back, rubbing their noses together. "Nervous?"

"Very," Hermione answered, clutching his sides.

"It's ok, I'm nervous too." He took her tiny hands and intertwined their fingers together, kissing the rings.

"Don't worry. It'll be fine. Just relax and you'll see how right this is." He hooked his fingers under the gown's thin straps and lowered them. He felt his mate suck in a breath and tense up. "Relax." He whispered against her lips.

He slowly slipped her nightgown down and now it was his turn to lose his ability to breathe. He always knew that Hermione would be his ideal woman, but seeing such perfection in front of him was daunting.

Every single inch of her body was designed to please him and he would look forward to exploring every centimeter of her in the years to come. He gripped her hands in his when she went to cover her chest and placed them at his waist, trying to get her to take his trousers off.

Hermione felt as if she was on fire. She knew that her face was probably a red blotchy mess and she had never felt so embarrassed or nervous in her life. _She was nude in front of Draco Malfoy._ She couldn't look up into his face and when he placed her hands on the waistline of his pants, she just about fainted. Her heart was surely loud enough for him to hear and that embarrassed her further. She didn't understand or was prepared for how she was feeling now and felt her hands begin to shake.

Before she could think about it much, Draco placed his hands over hers and pushed the black pants down and held her hands as he stepped out of them. She felt his finger push up her face as she met his eyes for the first time.

"You're perfect," he whispered, stepping closer and bringing her arms around him to pull their naked chests together for the first time. He brought their lips together, trying to ask for forgiveness for the pain he must cause her. He tried to pour all his love into the kiss, trying to make it different, trying to show her that she was everything to him.

He guided her gently onto the bed, never breaking the kiss. He maneuvered her so that she was lying on the pillows when she turned away, gasping. She apparently noticed where they were and went to grab the sheets to cover her chest.

"Never hide from me. Your body is mine now, I want to see you," Draco said, pulling himself up with his arms.

Hermione's blush darkened and she tried to look away, but the hand around her face stopped her. She was surprised when she noticed the dark red rim around his normally silver blue eyes.

"Your eyes!" she whispered reaching up with a trembling hand and pushing his hair back.

"Mating season starts shortly. If it gets to be too much, please forgive me. I'll find a way to make it up to you, but I know that it'll be fine. This moment has been destined since before we were born and now we'll be together for the rest of our lives." Draco bent down again and pored everything he felt for her into the kiss.

He pried her legs apart with a knee to slowly take the lacey white knickers off while practically ripping off his boxers. Hermione was so absorbed in the kiss that she didn't seem to notice when Draco was laying flat against her.

"Ready?" He asked, his instincts kicking in and he knew that he wouldn't be able to hold back. He could practically taste her blood in the air and focused on the slight blue lines of her veins.

She didn't reply vocally but nodded her head. Draco let go of her hands when he placed them around her head on the pillow. He bent down and proceeded to kiss his way down her neck, loving the small gasp that escaped her. When he got to her breast and took her into his mouth, he felt her tense for a few seconds as she clutched the pillow under her head.

His fangs broke through and he tried his best to fight the urge but lost. He settled her legs around his waist and pushed in fully as he bit down around her nipple. He had never felt so complete in his entire life. He was vaguely aware at her cry but couldn't pull away from her chest. The life giving blood coming from his mate's body was indescribable and he was worried that he wouldn't be able to pull away.

The small hands that tried to push him away were not even registering and he tried to find comfort in the fact that he was able to control his urge to thrust, at least for the moment. He finally came to his senses when he heard her sobs and looked up from her chest and saw the tears streaming down her face.

With one final pull, he tore himself away, looking down and seeing how their bodies were joined. "Forgive me, my love." He whispered, not wanting to move and cause her more pain. He had never had much patience in bed, seeking his own release before his partners, but now he had his mate beneath him and he desperately wanted this night to be perfect.

"Relax. You're too tense and it's making the pain stronger." He whispered into her ears. After a few shaky breathes, he felt her try to shift and her inner muscles relaxed slightly. "That's it, my love. Relax and it'll feel so good." He pushed in a bit deeper, stopping when she let go of the pillow under her head and buried her hands in her shoulders.

Suddenly, something inside him seemed to snap and he pulled himself up with his arms and looked into her teary eyes for a second. "Please forgive me, I can't help it." He ran a hand down her side and took a bruising hold on her hip.

It tore his heart to hear her anguished cry of pain when he pulled almost completely out before his thrust back forcefully. His eyes rolled back into his head at the exquisite pleasure, stronger than any feeling he had ever experienced.

He looked down when he caught the scent of fresh blood and stopped when he saw that his woman was bleeding. He didn't succumb to the urge to bite her again and he maneuvered their bodies to lay on their sides, still intimately joined.

"Look at me, Hermione." He held her face gently, rubbing his thumbs across her tear-stained cheeks.

Hermione lifted her gaze to his and felt a calm wash over her. She blinked away more tears and placed her smaller hand over his. She gave a squeeze and tried to give him a smile.

"I love you, Hermione. I love you so much that I fear I may go mad with the feeling. Please tell me that I haven't ruined this."

"Of course not. I love you too. With everything I am and hope to be." Hermione brought her forehead to his and gently kissed his lips.

Draco waited for a few minutes before he began moving again. He had never felt the need to be as gentle or conscious of his bedmate before but he was now. Hermione's moans were now strictly from pleasure and the sounds were driving him mad, but he refused to give up control.

For what seemed like hours, he kept the slow and steady pace, stopping completely whenever he felt Hermione orgasm, knowing that if he didn't, his end would follow too soon. As she approached her climax once again, she surrounded his face with her hands and brought his face down, placing an almost innocent kiss on his lips before she cried out her release and he finally allowed himself the same, riding out his climax in her body, fervently hoping that they would create a child.

He pulled out of her warm body, both of them letting out grunts at the action. He tucked her tightly against his side, her eyes were fighting to stay open but his were wide open, wanting to memorize every second of this night. He placed gentle kisses along her sweaty face, allowing her to calm down and finally sleep as he gazed into her eyes.

He allowed himself this peaceful moment, knowing that tomorrow morning, things were bound to change again.


	41. Chapter 41

AN: Thanks for the reviews on the last chapter, made me feel loads better. A special thanks to yankeerose, your review made me smile. An extra special thanks to my beta for being so awesomely fast with this chapter. (I know your comment and it's for a reason-a little twist that's coming up.) I had to end the chapter right here for a reason. I have almost 4 pages of the next chapter typed up, so the wait wont be longer than a week, I think.

Anyways, leave comments, questions, whatever. Thanks a million!!!

Hermione's eyes fluttered open the next morning. Slowly, she became aware of her body. Two things hit her. First how strange and different her body felt; like a mix of pain, soreness and completely boneless. Next she felt Draco next to her. He had his arm wrapped around her waist. Merlin, he was so warm, she couldn't remember his skin feeling that hot before.

The fact that she felt his _whole_ body against her without any clothing hit her suddenly as she remembered the night before. Her body tensed and she felt his lips brush against the nape of her neck. Had he been awake the entire time she had been?

"You can go back to sleep. There's still a few hours before we have to go back." Draco whispered against her skin. She felt his arm tighten, bringing her closer to his body.

She slowly turned, bringing the sheets with her body. She winced slightly at the soreness between her legs as she turned to face her husband. She looked at him, feeling the blush that flamed her face when she gazed into his eyes, the memories of last night slamming into her. She looked down trying to hide her face.

"Good morning love." He whispered, bringing her face up to look at him. The short kiss was sweet and innocent in comparison to what had passed between them last night.

A moan escaped Hermione's lips as Draco rolled her onto her back, letting his hand rest on the curve of her hip. She pulled away as he brushed a tender spot on her body.

Draco saw the flash of pain in her eyes and pulled the blanket off, gasping when he saw the large bruises on her hips and the left ribcage. Hermione tried to cover herself again, but he had already seen. She laid there and watched as he sat up, facing away from her.

"I'm sorry, Hermione. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to cause you any pain." Hermione heard the tone of his voice and struggled to sit up.

"Draco, its fine. I'm fine. I've been through a lot worse and will be back to normal in an hour." She said softly, pressing her face into the middle of his back. She wrapped her arms around his waist and tried to stay still, giving him the comfort and love of a wife.

Too many thoughts were running through her head. She knew things now that she hadn't known before last night. She knew what to do to make him happy, how to act like a mate. She knew that she could calm him down with a few simple words. For the first time in her life, having knowledge gave her a headache.

"I can give you a potion for the pain." Draco said softly, bringing the inside of her left wrist to his lips placing a small kiss there. .

"Ok." She watched him stand; looking away when she noticed he wasn't shy about walking around naked. She kept her eyes averted as he sat back down next to her on the bed and handed her a small vile of a bubblegum pink-colored potion.

She swallowed it quickly, smiling at him to show that she was truly alright. "Would you like a bath? It will help you relax."

Hermione nodded and refused to look at him when he stood again. She rose gingerly, carefully assessing the aches and trouble spots on her body as she wrapped the sheet around her body and walked to the bathroom when she heard the water running.

"Um, when are we expected back?" She asked, avoiding his eyes.

"At 7, we have about an hour." Draco said, walking over to her. He hooked his fingers under her chin and brought her face up to his and gave her another gentle kiss. "Stop acting so shy. I love you okay?"

Hermione gave him a slight nod and smiled into the kiss, standing up on her toes to reach better. They both pulled apart when they needed air and Hermione gasped when Draco picked her up and sat them both down in the large oversized tub.

Draco had maneuvered them so that she was lying between his legs and against his chest. She sat there stiffly for a minute before forcing herself to relax. She knew that during mating season, his emotions wouldn't always be as in control as they were now and she wanted to avoid any arguments.

"Have you given any thought as to where you want to go for our honeymoon after school ends?"

"I thought this was our honeymoon." Hermione's voice quivering when Draco slowly ran his hands up her waist and up to cup her breasts.

She couldn't help but pull away and she turned to face him, almost losing her balance in the water. "Sorry, I wasn't expecting that." She said nervously, seeing the hurt in his eyes. She couldn't help feeling so nervous.

"It's alright. I just have a lot to teach you. My fault really since I want it to be like this. I'll teach you everything that you need to know. You trust me, right?" Draco asked, holding out his hand.

Hermione bit her lip as she took it and Draco moved her so that she straddled his lap. "You know that I trust you." She answered softly.

"I love you, Hermione. So much that I fear I may go mad, sometimes." Draco positioned her arms around his shoulders and moved her hips closer. He kissed, licked and sucked her breasts gently.

Hermione took a deep breath, letting the haze fall over her brain and relax her as she felt Draco enter her. She tensed, feeling the pain again but not as strong as the first. Their heavy panting was the only sound in the room.

She looked into her husbands' eyes and saw how hard it was for him not to move. She clenched her hands in his hair and nodded, holding her breath as he began to move.

The slow rhythm that he created helped her forget about the pain and soon pleasure was the only sensation that made up her world. Her mouth opened and closed, trying to find words or something that she could wrap her mind around and not float away from her body. Soft moans escaped her lips.

She distinctly heard Draco say something, but couldn't understand the words before she felt Draco pull her chest flush against his and bite down right under her collar bone. That was the last thing that she was aware of as her world exploded. She could have sworn that they were fireworks in the room with them.

After what seemed like either hours or seconds, she heard Draco grunt and felt a rush of warm liquid flow into her. She looked at him, a question clear in her eyes.

"Look at us, my love." Draco panted, looking down into the water where their bodies were still joined.

Hermione did as she was told, blushing wildly and looking away almost immediately. For some reason, even after what they had just done, she was still embarrassed. "I don't understand what just happened there, at the end." She said softly, her blushing cheeks even darker now.

"That was an orgasm, the peak of pleasure for us. And it'll only get better, with time and knowledge." Draco answered, pulling gently out of her warm body. He kissed her sweetly, sweeping the curls back away from her face.

"The pain you feel will soon be but a faded memory and nothing more. I'll show you things that beyond your wildest desires. Our life will be one glorious dream for you with the perfect family and everything that you could and would ever want."

"All I want is for us to be happy Draco."

"And we will be. There is no limit on what I would do for even one of your smiles. One look from you makes everything perfect in my life."


	42. Chapter 42

AN: I have to thank my beta, margaritama of course for being so awesome. And I have to thank zencry for all the reviews, you reviewed so many chapters and I that just made my day, so thank you. I tried to upload this for the past few days, but my account was giving me trouble, so sorry about that. Reviews PLEASE!!!!

Hermione blushed as Draco proceeded to dry every inch of her body with the warm towel in slow sensual circles.

She quickly reached for the bathrobe hanging by the shower and wrapped it tightly. She sat down at the vanity, flinching when her sore body touched the seat.

"Sorry about that." Draco whispered, coming around and wrapping an arm around her shoulders, peppering them with soft, gentle kisses. She smiled as he nuzzled her neck.

His need to touch, caress and hold her was overwhelming. He felt a possessiveness that alarmed him yet he knew he had to control himself lest he frighten her.

Hermione turned to kiss Draco but was interrupted when they heard the fireplace downstairs roar to life. She shot Draco a warning look when he began cursing; nonetheless he took the offered hand and stood with her.

"Draco, calm down, please . . . for me." She hugged him tightly around his waist until she felt his anger subside. They made their way downstairs and into the den where Dumbledore's' grave face glowed.

"Forgive me for ending your holiday early, but you're needed at the school Draco. There seems to be a new development that needs your attention." Dumbledore just looked away amused when Draco started ranting at the unfairness.

"Draco, your friend Blaise is the cause of this interruption." Dumbledore said softly when he saw Hermione's worried expression.

That stopped Draco immediately. He had hoped to hear from his best friend at the start of term, but didn't want to get his hopes up. He looked at Hermione, wanting to know if she would want to go with him or remain here for the rest of the early morning.

She answered the Headmaster for the both of them. "Headmaster, we'll floo in as soon as we're dressed. Thank you." She smiled at Draco who seemed more at ease as she led him upstairs.

"Thank you." Draco whispered, pulling her into a tight hug. He kissed her gently, ignoring the urge to go lower and have a taste of her blood again.

Hermione stood there as she tried to follow his movements around the room. He was moving too fast for her and before she could go to her dresser, Draco had placed an outfit in her arms, guiding her towards the bathroom to change.

Hermione dressed carefully, mindful of the bruises and soreness. She looked at herself before buttoning her blouse, smiling unconsciously when she saw the bite mark on her breast. Draco may be a bit wild but he was hers. She finished quickly and stepped out only to be met by her husband's menacing face.

Hermione's eyes widened in concern. "Are you alright?"

"The school . . . it will be full of men." He whispered, his hands balled into fists.

Aha, he was jealous and they had not even left their bedroom. Hermione tried to soothe him.

"Yes, but they will all see our wedding rings. Everyone will see that we're married, so it won't matter. Besides, who do I really talk too? Just our friends and my Gryffindor house mates. There's nothing to worry about, I love you and only you." Hermione said cupped his face with her hands.

"I still don't like it." He replied through gritted teeth, bringing up her hands to his lips.

Hermione smiled when she felt the small kisses that were placed on her palms and closed her eyes, relishing the feeling before pulling away. "Come on, we should see what this is all about."

******************

Draco and Hermione landed at the same time, Hermione falling into Draco's arms when they touched the fireplace in the Headmasters' office.

She pulled away when she heard the growl coming from her husband and turned to look at what had upset him. Draco stood in front of her slightly crouched, ready to pounce at any second.

"Zabini, I suggest that you look away from my mate if you'd like to keep your head." He growled out through gritted teeth.

"I meant nothing by it, Draco. I'm happy for you my friend. I always knew that there was something else between the two of you. So much anger could only grow into something bigger. But I'm not here to talk about that, I need to speak to you in private and we don't have much time."

"Anything that you have to say to me can be said in front of my mate."

"Not this. I'm only thinking about what's best for you, Draco."

"And, if it's alright with you I'd like to have a word with our new Mrs. Malfoy about certain Head duties. It should take no longer than your own conversation and we'll be right in the next room." Dumbledore added.

Hermione saw Draco stare down the Headmaster. She immediately stepped in between them with a ready smile which relaxed her volatile husband. He nodded his assent.

************

Draco hated having Hermione away from him, even if it was only for a few minutes and in the next room. He felt she needed to be within his sights and at a hand's distance at all times. Allowing her a modicum of freedom, especially now that he had tasted her, was difficult for him. It was struggle but he understood that she needed to think that she had some independence.

In all honesty, he didn't know how he was going to deal with the males around her at school. Time to deal with that later though.

He turned back towards his old friend. Blaise Zabini was his only true friend throughout the years and he wanted to keep it that way, but it wouldn't be possible if they were to fight on opposing sides of the war.

"Well?"

"It seems as congratulations are in order?" Blaise replied with a smirk.

"Depends on what you're congratulating me on."

"I think that Hermione is a delightful young woman. Beautiful and brilliant enough to keep your attention."

"Thank you. Now what was so important that you had to pull me away from my honeymoon?"

Draco watched intently as Blaise's face grew serious. "I've come to say goodbye for a while mate. I'm leaving for Florence. The war is not something that I can honestly involve myself with."

Blaise stood and began to pace in front of the fireplace. "I went to a Death Eater meeting last week, Draco. My mother had me attend for appearances while we prepared to leave. There's a price on your head, Draco. The Slytherins are out for you and when they find out about you and Hermione, they'll be after her as well."

"Thanks for the warning." Draco said honestly. He had expected as much, but it became real hearing it from his friend.

"There's more. They were saying that Potter must be captured alive. No matter what, he must reach You-Know-Who alive. And your father wants to . . . attend . . . to you personally."

Draco nodded; the information about Harry had his head spinning. He would have thought that Voldermort would want him out of the way as soon as possible, but this change of events was concerning.

"And I need to share that they're mobilizing. I couldn't find out the date, but they are going to attack soon. And it won't be scattered little battles. Oh no, this is big. They are going to attack one place en masse."

Draco nodded again. The Headmaster and Snape believed that the first target would be the Ministry building; but he knew that Hogwarts would be the target and Harry agreed with him.

Draco looked at his friend. "We can offer you protection. We could train you to fight."

"No, but thanks for the offer. I'm not as brave as you are, apparently, so I won't fight. I'm sorry for being a coward but know that I'm still your friend."

"We'll always be friends Blaise. You tried to help me, that's not being a coward. This information really does help. I hope to see you again after all this is over." Draco held out his hand, smiling at his friend.

Blaise shook it, returning the smile warmly. "Careful with the wife, she looks like a handful."

Draco laughed, pulling his hand back. "You have no idea."

*************

Draco and Hermione slowly made their way down to the dining hall, holding hands. As they neared the doors, Draco began shaking and breathing erratically.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked stopping and pulling them both aside.

"Everyone will be able to see and touch you." He said, barely above a whisper.

He was struggling with the overwhelming feelings of jealousy and possessiveness that were flowing through his body. Hermione had always been oblivious to male attention. Because she was so engrossed in her studies; she assumed that boys were never interested in her. How wrong she was. Draco had always noticed the looks and whispers as she walked by. Ever since the Yule Ball when she had dazzled everyone as Viktor Krum's date, boys had been aware of Hermione's delicate beauty. Now that she had blossomed further, males were sure to try and capture her attention.

"Draco, we have to go in. You can see me from your table the entire time. Besides, Harry, Ginny and Ron will be sitting next to me. Nothing will happen." Hermione pulled his forehead down to hers.

Draco closed his eyes for a few seconds, breathing in her beautiful scent. He reached up and ran two fingertips over her bite mark, feeling the slightly raised skin at the edge of her bra. He smiled wide when he felt the shiver run through her.

"I'll come over to collect you at your table to walk you to class. Make me a copy of your timetable."

"You don't need to walk me to my classes. I've been doing the same thing for six years by myself thank you." Hermione said, pulling away and starting toward the Great Hall doors.

He took hold of her wrist. "Please just do as I say. Don't argue with me, having you out in public is hard enough without having to fight with you on this." Draco answered.

Hermione sighed and gave a curt nod. They let go of each other and as they walked in, the Hall quieted slightly. Draco held his head high, his face in a menacing sneer as he walked towards the Slytherin table. He noticed that no one occupied his usual seat. However, Blaise's seat to his right was empty, while Pansy sat grinning in the one to his left.

He sat down and nodded confidently to the table, the sign for them all to begin eating. He was not about to give up any of his power and it was important that everyone understood. Draco had worked hard to develop his leadership position in his House and he had every intention of keeping it. Therefore, little shows of control and power were extremely important and he refused to give anyone else the idea that he had changed. He would crush them if they fell out of line.

Draco eyed his housemates with hooded eyes. The younger students looked in at him awe; the 6th and 7th years were dodgy but he knew who he needed to watch out for. He began eating slowly, shooting occasional guarded glances towards the Gryffindor table from the corner of his eye.

He was tense and ready to attack. His whole body felt off when she wasn't near him and he wanted nothing more than to throw her over his shoulder and drag her back to their home.

"How did it go last night?" Pansy asked quietly.

Draco gave her a withering look when he saw the amount of food that she was currently trying to devour.

"What? I'm eating for two now and all that, I'm hungry okay? Now don't change the subject, what happened last night?"

"She's perfect. Everything is fine."

"She was walking strangely."

"She was a virgin, what did you expect? Everything is fine." He said, turning away to end the conversation.

He ate silently, ignoring the awful taste the sausage left in his mouth. He preferred Hermione's blood a million times over this garbage, but he knew that he had to find a balance between his hungers or else the vampire in him would overtake the human.

His eyes continued to scan the room, returning every so often to rest on the new Head Girl. He noticed that a few other male's gazes wandering to her as well. Draco took a very deep breath to calm the fire raging through his veins.

When the ten minute warning bell rang, he walked over to his wife's table glaring at Longbottom and the others who were too close for his liking. He picked up Hermione's heavy bag, slung it on his shoulder and grabbed her class schedule, pleased to see that they shared most of their classes.

"Let's go, we have advanced double potions next." He said gruffly, helping her stand.

After saying goodbye to Ron, who was taking magical business management on the fourth floor, they made their way down to the dungeons with Harry. He had actually managed to earn high enough marks to take the advanced class.

Draco commandeered the table farthest from the front of the classroom, pulling Hermione along when she began going to the front. Harry and Pansy chose the table in front of them. Hermione sighed loudly causing Harry to give his friend an encouraging smile when she was about to complain.

Class. Was. Hell. Draco was distracted by the delectable little witch sitting next to him.

Draco tried his best to pay attention, but Hermione's scent was invading his senses and every thought. He discreetly placed his hand on her knee, rubbing his thumb in soothing circles when he felt her stiffen. Impatient, he tore a corner of his parchment and wrote '_RELAX'_, slipping it under her hand.

She looked at him, scribbled furiously and handed it back. _'I have to concentrate and your hand is making that difficult.'_

Draco smirked when he read her note. He quickly vanished the paper when Snape began pacing around the classroom. The lecture went on and Draco distracted himself with Hermione's leg. She kept on trying to pull away and make him stop, but he gripped her skin tighter.

"Stop moving." He whispered, squeezing harder. He got his wish, but she held herself stiffly throughout the whole lesson.

When Snape dismissed them, Draco took her bag again and nearly dragged her along the halls up to the second floor. He put his arm around her tightly when he noticed the looks she was getting from a group of 7th year Ravenclaws. He narrowed his eyes at them and sneered before turning to Hermione.

"I'll be here to pick you up at the end of class." He said, kissing her temple. He had to go down the hall to a training session with Harry and Ron and would be away from her for over an hour.

"No need, I can meet you at the next class on my own." Hermione replied somewhat tersely.

Draco raised his eyebrows, his mercurial gaze never wavering from her soft golden-brown orbs. "I said I'll meet you here. Pans, look out for her."

With a note of finality, Draco turned and made his way down the hall.


	43. Chapter 43

AN: Hey y'all! New chapter for you, thank you all so much for the reviews-they make me feel all fuzzy inside :). i'm on bed rest until i have the babies-yup i said babies. i'm expecting twins and i know that at least one of them is a boy. My hubby is kinda going crazy- he's buy every little sports thing he could get his hand on and we wont have room for much more pretty soon. So that means updates very frequently since i'll be in bed for the next few weeks.

A very special thanks to my beta, margaritama for being so wonderful!!

Reviews make me type faster and i want you opinions on whether you all want me to go into detail on the battle thats coming up or glossed over and get to the good stuff.

Hermione threw her backpack angrily on the floor.

She was aware of the eyes on her but ignored everyone, including Pansy when she sat down. She huffed and crossed her arms across her chest.

She couldn't believe his behavior.

It was completely out of control and she would be damned if she just let it happen. The whole school had seen how he used to treat his women and she wouldn't let herself be subjected to such gossip and stares.

"You should try to see things his way." Pansy suggested gently before the class settled down.

"And what way is that? I will not be manhandled in front of people! I don't care what he's used to; I will not be the laughing stock of this school. Not this year - too much is at stake." Hermione hissed. She had to stop when the professor called order to the class.

Her anger only increased throughout the lesson when she realized that her mind couldn't completely focus on the lecture. She was exhausted, sore and her bite mark was throbbing slightly. She also had to help lead the first prefect meeting tonight with Draco and training later on.

She slowly packed her bag when class ended and looked up when she heard Draco's voice at the door. She narrowed her eyes and almost felt bad when she noticed that his hand was shaking, he looked terrified, as if someone had given him bad news.

Almost.

She rose tepidly walking over to him she noticed that his eyes were red, as if he was on the verge of tears.

"We need to talk." She carefully took his hand and led him down the hall to an unused classroom.

Setting her bag down and turning slowly, Draco pressed into her soft body. Not expecting him to be so close to her, she took a step back to make some room between them and tried to think of what to say.

"Are you scared of me?" Draco took a step closer as she took a step back again.

"No, I'm angry with you. What you did in potions is not how we should act. We're the Head students; we're supposed to set the example for the school."

"You are my mate before anything else. You have no clue how hard it is to have you so near men right now. I can smell them on you and you should be happy that I haven't killed anyone yet." He knew that he was pushing it, his mind was screaming at him to calm down and think things through. The blood lush potion that Severus had made for him was diminishing the effects of mating season, but the instinct was still there. He needed his mate to be with him and focused on only him.

"Draco, you can't behave like this and you know it. What would have happened if Professor Snape saw your hand on me? I know that you're used to doing things with other girls, but I'm not like that, I can't change that much overnight. If you want to be close to me, we do it in the privacy of our own room."

"I never said you needed to change. Would you rather that I had dragged you out of the class and brought you into some storage closet for a quick fuck? I could have very easily done so and then the whole school would have found out by lunchtime. Don't make this harder than it already is, Hermione. I'm trying my best here and I need you to get used to how things are."

"I'm your wife, not some random girl that you can treat however you want. If you want respect from me then I need the same from you. I love you Draco, but I will not be made into someone that I'm not."

"And what do you think that is?" He was getting angry now. His temper had always been short, but now with so much going on, he knew that to lose the control that he had been so desperately clinging to would fly out the window if he really told her how he wanted her to be.

He loved Hermione. loved everything about her but some part of him wanted to have a submissive wife like most daywalkers had. He had read about what the mates place in a home was

"I remember seeing girls crying because you slept with them and ignored them after you got what you wanted. I saw that for years and I don't want that for myself. I married you; I want to be treated with respect."

Hermione saw the look in her husband's eyes and felt bad for choosing the words that she did. She had wounded him but it was necessary. She didn't step away when he came closer and wrapped his arms around her again and kissed her temple.

"Forgive me. I swear I'm trying my best."

"Only if you forgive me too. I'm new to this whole relationship situation too and I'm just trying to find a balance to everything. I'm sorry, Draco." She tried to calm him by wrapping her arms around him and holding him.

"Let's just promise each other that we'll talk things out first. Just understand that I'm trying."

Draco wrapped his arms around her tighter, wanting to have her as close as possible.

************

"Have a seat everyone. I know it's rather late, but let's get this over with and start our rounds." Draco announced as the Ravenclaw prefects walked in.

Over the next hour, they set up the schedules of rounds, planned the first Hogsmeade weekend and had begun to plot our some inter-house events. Draco felt extremely proud when Hermione had dazzled him with a smiled filled with so much delight from his idea that he had to fight his own smile forming on his lips.

"Also, Hermione and I were thinking about asking Professor Dumbledore for a change during meals. We would like to offer the opportunity to sit with other houses and mingle during breakfast and lunch. I think this year we can really push for school unity and this would help."

After the eight students agreed and left, Draco and Hermione were finally allowed to go to their Head's rooms.

They had managed to spend a few minutes in their quarters before dinner, but it wasn't enough time to explore everything. Draco remembered Harry complaining that Ron and he were able to have their women in their rooms but Ginny was being housed on a completely different floor and surrounded by strong wards to ensure that nothing inappropriate would occur.

He led her into the Head suite and smiled to himself. No matter what the school believed, he had worked hard for this and concentrated on his schooling to get this position. Hermione earning the honor with him only proved how right they were for each other.

"Do you want to start your homework now or unpack?" Hermione began to remove her books and organize her quill and parchments.

"You're joking, right?" Draco whispered into her ear, taking the books away from her. "Love, it's our first night together in our room and you really think that we'll be doing homework?" He pushed them to the couch, kissing her neck gently.

He smiled when he heard the soft moan escape her lips and knew that he had won. He was in the midst of unbuttoning her blouse when there was a frantic knock at the door. They quickly pulled away and Draco helped Hermione right her shirt.

"I need help! Harry's having a vision and I can't wake him up!" Ginny yelled through the door.

Draco looked back when he heard Hermione take in a scared breath. They both ran to the door and down the short hall to Harry's single room. Ron and Pansy were already there, looking worried and Ginny dropped to his side, shaking and slapping him lightly attempting to wake him.

"Have any of you tried to cast '_Ennervate'_?"

"It didn't work." Ron answered softly.

"We should get the Headmaster." Hermione walked to the bed and sat down, trying to hold the thrashing boy from falling.

"Wait, I can project and calm him." Draco offered.

"What do you mean?" A sob broke out from Ginny as she wiped her eyes roughly.

"I can 'push' a feeling into someone with venom or blood. Cut his finger and I'll do mine. He should be awake in a minute." Draco rolled up his cuff and made a small cut on the palm of his hand. Hermione did the same to her friend, holding his hand tightly in her smaller one.

Draco concentrated on his emotions and squeezed his hand for a second. He looked down and saw his cut already healing and felt the burning thirst in the back of his throat from the smell of Harry's blood. He desperately wanted to take his wife back to the room but knew that he needed to be there for his friend. They were married, yet had only had one night together. She would know already if she was pregnant and since Hermione had yet to tell him anything, which meant that he would have to work harder. His lust for her blood was satisfied for now, but his body was nowhere near finished.

As Draco predicted, Harry woke up after a minute, still shaking and sweating. He described the vision, explaining what they knew about the connection to Draco. Ron and Hermione had been there since the beginning and had witnessed firsthand that the scar was a link between Harry and Voldermort. After a few more minutes, they all piled onto the small bed, laying down and silently offering comfort to their friend.

Hermione propped her chin on Draco's chest after everyone was sleeping.

"This is why we're going to win. This is what they don't have." Hermione whispered.

"What's that, a tiny bed?" Draco joked back.

"No. We have this incredible love for each other and we all support Harry and love him." Hermione laid her head back down. "That's our advantage. We'll fight to the death for each other. Voldemort's always wanted Harry, but he'll have to get through us first."

Draco thought about her words throughout the night. Sleep didn't come to him so his mind turned over and over again throughout the long night. The last Horcrux was still out there and they needed that to have a chance at the least amount of casualties.

At around four o'clock in the morning, a thought hit him. He slowly climbed out of the bed, careful not to disturb anyone. He walked quickly to his room, pulling out the parchment he had copied his board from and laid it out on a table. He had spent most of the past month in between training sessions writing down everything that might lead them to the last missing horocrux on a blackboard. The jumbled writing wouldn't have made sense to anyone but him, so he decided to review it once more.

He looked over his writings from the summer: a scattering of random thoughts, ideas and information that they thought would be helpful. It hit him then like a boulder when he came to the conclusion that Harry, his friend, was the last Horcrux.


	44. Chapter 44

AN: You guys rock! i love getting reviews-they brighten my day like you guys wouldnt believe. A million thanks to my wonderful beta margaritama for all the wonderful comments, fixes and everything that has made this story greater then what its been. Bed rest bites hard, but I'm getting all my writting done. You guys are in for a roller coaster for the next couple of chapters!! Reviews inspire me to write faster *wink wink*

"You're not concentrating enough!" Draco roared, throwing his wand to the ground.

It was almost midnight, he still had an essay to finish for Transfiguration and he wanted to be with Hermione, but she was currently banned from the training room because she was to 'distracting' according to Dumbledore.

Let's just called it a night." Harry said for the fourth time.

"Right, because we all know that Death Eaters all over the country are getting into their nice warm beds this very instant. Grow a pair and quite complaining."

Draco knew his temper was getting the best of him, but Harry wasn't the only one who was exhausted. It had been four days since he came to the realization of what the last horcrux was. The knowledge that his friend was the final Horcrux weighed heavily on his mind and he had very little time to figure out what to do. He couldn't tell Harry the truth because he knew that his friend would be more then willing to sacrifice himself for the 'better good'. Damn Gryffindor.

Trying to teach someone like Harry the Unforgivables was difficult. He had the emotional depth, but no will to cause harm to another living person. The Killing Curse wouldn't be a problem if there was someone next to him who could cast it, but the chances were too slim. Harry was great at deflecting Crucio and Imperio, but casting them was still not perfect, and they would definitely need perfection when the final battle broke out

Also, Harry tended to leave his mind open and Draco had been almost obsessive over this fact. This was a major issue. While Draco didn't have a solid plan, he knew that Harry needed to learn _**Occlumency**_. Ultimately, he needed to learn how to cast curses and block his mind at the same time.

"I think it's time we all went to bed." Dumbledore said from the corner of the room which he had commandeered at the beginning of the evening.

Draco threw his wand down in anger. A potion would give them the energy needed to stay up the whole night but of course the Headmaster was against it. Draco didn't need sleep as much anymore so it really didn't matter to him, but Harry and Ron still had a long way to go in mastering certain darker skills.

Draco had first been taught the Killing Curse by his father as a First Year after he had come home for summer holidays. He had killed an old man, a muggle, went to his room and promptly threw up for the whole night. The next morning was the first time he had seen pride in his father's eyes. When his father left, his mother had pulled him aside. She held him as he was allowed to cry in her arms and barely had any time to compose himself.

After that, he was expected to behave like his father and he buried his true feelings for years. He knew that he was hated and feared in school and never allowed his guard down even within his own house. His only two true friends were Blaise and Pansy, and he still had to watch what he said in front of them in case there was someone listening.

Though the three of them had built their friendship, but both Draco and Pansy knew that Blaise might sell them out to the highest bidder. It wasn't that he was a bad friend; it was that he was too much of a Slytherin to behave differently. He worried about himself first, others second.

Draco sighed angrily.

He knew the evening practice session was over. Truthfully, it had been a very long evening. They were all tired; Ron had had to see Madame Pomfrey to mend a broken arm when Harry had thrown a misguided spell towards a mannequin and hit Ron instead.

He summoned his wand back and stormed out of the room. It was different having friends who cared about you and didn't have other motives. He still struggled to keep his volatile temper from exploding, so he mumbled a quick apology and slammed the door before he said or did anything to upset Harry or Ron. He made his way down the hall, just ready to spend some time with his mate.

There was the crux of his whirlwind emotions. He expected Hermione to be pregnant by now and was worried that he might have done something wrong; pregnancy was a given from the first time and he couldn't help but think about what the Healer had said. The only thing that stopped him from raising the issue with Hermione was the fact that he wanted children; she wanted children so the conclusion was that they would have them.

His mate was perfect. She was everything to him and he knew that she wouldn't deceive him, it just wasn't in her too, even without being his mate. He had to constantly reaffirm himself that she wouldn't deliberately do something to prevent pregnancy. He ignored the instinct to confront her, and he knew that if he did, their relationship would be strained for a while.

He would give it another week, but if she wasn't pregnant, he would have her see a Healer. He refused to think that there might be something wrong with his perfect Hermione. She would make an excellent mother and would teach him how to be a loving father.

He was almost to his room when Katherina turned the corner and came over to him. "Your Highness." She bowed with a smirk.

"I didn't see you at the wedding." Draco stated.

"I didn't think that my presence would have been appreciated. Those girls are not exactly welcoming me with open arms."

"I expect you to make friends with my mate. She will take her title and place next to me when I rule. It wouldn't be prudent to have my wife and tutor at odds with each other. She'll need guidance and a friend while we're at court."

"As you wish Highness. I was just wondering how if all went well on your wedding night. I sensed some nerves from you and wanted to know if everything was alright."

"Of course everything is fine. Why wouldn't it be?" Draco narrowed his eyes at her tight smile. He still wasn't sure how trustworthy she truly was. She had been there for him since his inheritance, but that was only because she had been ordered to do so. He had to keep her at a distance until she proved herself loyal.

"No reason at all, my Lord. It would appear from school rumors that you and your mate don't seem very compatible bed partners. But if you say that all is fine, then I believe you."

"Speak clearly. Are you implying something about my wife?" Draco asked angrily.

"Of course not. I've seen her myself and she's perfect for you. I was simply asking if she was well educated about being a mate to someone such as you, my Lord. You don't seem the type of man that would spend their nights reading and debating about different potions."

"How dare you stoop so low as to listen to common childish gossip about myself and my mate? While I appreciate that you were my tutor, I order you to keep your opinions to yourself when it concerns my wife. If I ever need your input, I'll demand it but it certainly would never be regarding my mate. So, mind your business and your tongue." Draco hissed, walking away.

Reaching the Head's Common Room portrait, he whispered the password and immediately felt his bad mood evaporating upon seeing his mate curled up on the beige sofa, surrounded by parchment and books.

"Hello, love." He whispered, striding across the room and placing a gentle kiss on her lips.

"Did you have a good session?" She asked with a smile, marking her page and putting her book aside.

Draco took the opportunity to lift her up and maneuvered them so that she sat on his lap. He began nipping carefully at her exposed collar bone, his hands roaming her thighs and working their way up her skirt.

"Um, Draco?" Hermione asked, trying to push him away a bit so she could speak. "I was wondering if you'd help me with my potions essay. You know what Professor Snape wants more than any student, and I only have a foot done."

Draco tried his best to suppress the frustrated groan. However, he knew that Hermione must have heard, because she smiled as she turned to climb from his lap.

"Don't we have a week to finish it? Why do we need to think about it tonight?"

"It's not for class. I've applied to apprentice under some of the professors during the summer and I'd like to get the essays in before others apply, it might give me an edge."

Hermione watched him warily, knowing that he would at best be a little put off by this information. She followed Draco with her eyes as he began to pace back and forth.

Draco fought to control the rage welling up in his chest. He wasn't angry at her per se but at Professor Snape for even taking her request to study further with him into consideration. "And where do I or our children fit into any of this?"

"Well, I'm not pregnant yet, and this is in the summer. Also, I thought that we could plan out a schedule where I could work while you were working."

"Hermione, you'll be pregnant by then. I'm at a loss as to why you're not with child right now. And I don't see a time where you would be away from me for my work either. Remember our agreement with my grandfather? I can make my own schedule to deal with wizard's business. "

"We'll think of something, then. I've been planning this since last year. All my classes are to reinforce the positions I've applied for."

"Hermione, there simply wouldn't be any time. Are you willing to neglect our child for the sake of your 'career'?" Draco answered.

He knew it was a low blow, but he could feel his control slipping. He refused to lure her into submission nor would he be the type of husband to beat his mate into obedience as Katherina claimed sometimes had to be done.

"How dare you imply that I wouldn't be a good mother to our child?" Hurt and shocked evident in her eyes, Hermione stared at Draco before taking a deep calming breath. "Draco, this is not up for discussion. I'm going to be apprenticing under a few of the professors here. You know that I had a life already planned out before all this came to pass." Hermione said, motioning between the two of them. "We'll need to find a middle ground for time together, but I will not budge on this."

Draco saw red at this statement. He knew that with one thought, one bite, she would forget all the rebellious words that were spewing from her mouth.

"I'm going flying. I don't know when I'll be back." Draco said through gritted teeth. He had to get away from her or else he knew that any hope for a normal relationship would die right there.

Leaving behind a stunned Hermione, he stormed out of the room, slamming the door as hard as he could without breaking it. Summoning his broom on his way down, he ran at full speed, thankful of the new velocity that came with his inheritance.

He made it to the pitch in about 30 seconds. Immediately mounting his broom he shot up to the sky, his eyes tearing at the altitude. He felt no cold or fear. A few rolls and dips helped calm him and push his anger down.

Draco pondered on the situations he faced.

In all honesty, he didn't want to have a servant for a wife. He wanted her to have a voice and stand next to him, but the Daywalker side was demanding for her to be a good submissive mate. He had loved her before his inheritance and he'd be damned if he'd bow down to his basic instinct to dominate. He wasn't a Malfoy if he couldn't control himself and he knew that he would learn to find a balance eventually.

The other problem was Harry. The other Horcrux had to be destroyed. However, destroying a person meant killing him but that couldn't be done in this case. This was Harry. Voldermort had mistakenly created this one last piece of the puzzle and now it was up to him to see how to get his friend out of this alive. And he had no clue how to go about it.

Harry had survived the Killing Curse once, but now there was no mother to sacrifice her life for her son. There was no guarantee that Harry could perform the miracle again. Draco needed to ask his grandfather about any information in their libraries on this but he didn't have high hopes.

He needed to find the answer. Time was running out and he didn't want to lose one of his best friends. Harry was the only one he thought that could kill the Dark Lord, but Draco didn't want the boy to lose his life at the same time.

********************

Draco walked slowly back to his Common Room just as the sun began to rise. He threaded his fingers through his hair back as he entered quietly. He saw Hermione on the couch, dried tear marks streaking down her cheeks, frowning even in her sleep.

Carefully, he carried her to their room, laying her gently on the bed and slowly started to strip his clothes down to his boxers. He pulled her against his body burying his face in her soft curls inhaling her scent and waited for her to wake.

It only took a few minutes, but when she did, he couldn't read her eyes. Draco tried to hold her against him, but she pulled away quickly and jumped out of bed. Draco could feel the hurt rolling off of her in waves.

"I'm sorry I ran out like that. It wasn't what I should have done, but I couldn't stay in the room with you and not do something stupid."

"What happens when we have another argument? What if you can't hold your temper next time?" Hermione asked, beginning to pace in front of the bed.

"Hermione, I'd never hurt you." Draco said, standing up in front of her.

"You just did. You walking away from me hurt me more than all those names you used to call me. I called after you and you didn't listen. Draco, I don't know what I'm doing here. I'm trying to be a good wife to you, to have our marriage be happy, but I can't do it alone. I need to be my own person and a wife at the same time, but you need to meet me in the middle." Hermione had tears running down her face and would have fallen if his arms hadn't been wrapped around her waist.

"I'm sorry, Hermione. I'm so very sorry, love. I swear on everything that it won't happen again. I promise not to hurt you again. I love you, Hermione. You're all that matters to me and I had to leave or else I would have hurt you even worse. I couldn't have that happen. Forgive me?" He whispered against her temple.

"I'm scared Draco. I don't know what to do sometimes and I think I might be going mad. I hear two of me in my head and I don't know which voice to follow."

"It takes a few weeks for mates to get used to the subconscious changing to include us in your mind. It will get better, my love."

A knock on the door interrupted what Hermione was about to say. "His Majesty is here to speak with you, my Lord." Came Katharina's voice from the hall.

Hermione gave a little laugh at the title, but pulled away from her husband to sit back down on the bed. "Go ahead, my Lord. It must be important to have him come so early and unexpectedly."

"I'll be back soon." He kissed her gently before he left the room.


	45. Chapter 45

I want to thank my lovely perfect and brilliant beta Margaritama for her wonderfulness. To my reviewers-you're all making this boring bedrest thing fly by, I really do thank you.

A very special thanks to Shanda and crazywildcat17-LOVE LOVE LOVED your reviews. Hit the review button and show me love!! Things are gonna be getting good!

Draco followed Katharina down to the dungeons where the now familiar scent of his grandfather reached him.

He saw Katharina bow and leave the room. He wanted to have some trust in the woman, so was after all the person who had taught him so much about his vampire half that it would be useful to keep her around when he would have to spend more time at court.

"Ah, I can already see that marriage is calming you down." His grandfather greeted him with a wry smile.

"If you call this calm, I'd be almost frightened to know how I'd feel if I were agitated," Draco replied, walking over and folding himself into a chair.

"Well, I'm sure that you want to get back to you woman. I merely came to say that our army is ready. We are assembled and will be ready to fight at a moment's notice. Our scouts have seen the dark vampires mobilizing which would only happen if an attack is less then a few days away. Full mobilization will take a matter of minutes after your signal. I am placing my best general directly under your command and all you need to do is tell them what you want and they will find a way to do so. Just say the word and the full force of Eursica will be yours."

Draco eyed his grandfather before straightening out his body confidently. He waved his arm around the room and cast all the privacy charms that he knew. "I have a problem and I want to ask if you could keep it confidential for now," Draco started. He waited until the ancient man consented and began to explain the situation regarding Harry. After he finished, Draco felt as if a large weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

"Well, the only thing that I'd be able to do is arrange a meeting with the Necromancer. She'd be the one to ask about the life of your friend. I can come meet you at dawn. That is supposedly the best time to peer through the veil of the other side so the Necromancer can see what is really inside that boy. She would need something from his person, a few drops of blood or some hair. It will aid in making the visions clearer."

"Very well. I'll get them and meet you in the Transfiguration Courtyard," Draco answered as he stood up. He was desperate to get back to his mate, the time that they had to be alone was so little and he wanted to take advantage of every second that they had to be by themselves.

"Agreed." His grandfather rose also before asked tentatively. "How is your mate, by the way?"

Irritated, Draco snapped, "She's fine. She's getting used to everything."

A small twitch of a smile played around the older vampire's lips. "Very well. I have very high hopes for her."

Draco nodded once again and walked out of the room. A wandless Tempus Charm showed it was past midnight now. He suppressed a groan, praying that his wife was still awake. He began to run and managed to make it to the tower in under a minute.

Arriving, he cursed under his breath upon spying Hermione slumped over the couch, surrounded by books and parchment, and sound asleep. He dragged his hands roughly through his hair in an attempt to calm down. Mating season was in full swing and he couldn't be his mate. Whenever he managed to get her to himself for any amount of time, something would always come up or someone would interrupt them. The whole thing was ridiculous-he was Draco Malfoy for Merlin's sake!

He slowly walked up to the couch so as not to wake her and waved his hand, making the scattered papers and books pile themselves neatly on the coffee table.

He carefully scooped her up in his arms to carry her into their bedroom where he gently laid her on the bed. After quick consideration, he waved his arm over her sleeping body and transfigured her uniform into a simple green silky nightgown that showed off her creamy legs and thighs. He smiled as he admired his beautiful wife's sleeping form.

Silently, he made his way to the bathroom and splashed cold water on his face. He knew that he should try to get some sleep, but it seemed unlikely. He stripped down to his boxers and slid into bed, pulling his mate to his side as close as possible. He mind was somewhat more at ease with the promise of help from his grandfather.

Focusing on the small figure next to him, Draco felt a surge of possessive yet tender emotions swell within him. She felt warm, soft and tempting.

He kissed her temple when he heard the sweet little mumbling elicited from her throat. She turned and burrowed herself a bit closer into his body, making him grin. His fingers danced up and down her spine trying to concentrate on her deep even breathing in an attempt to sleep.

He brought his hand around and placed it gently on her lower stomach, trying to sense if any change. Nothing. He still felt the same soft, warm skin as always. Trying to suppress the urge to wake her and demand to know why she hadn't conceived yet, he was very pleased with himself for maintaining his composure.

He buried his nose in her curls and inhaled, relishing the soft flowery scent that was unique only to her. Draco frowned and looked at her again. For a moment, he thought he felt there was a hint of something else. Shaking his head, he discarded the notion as someone else's scent that must have rubbed off during the school day.

********

Morning came unexpectedly and Draco barely had time to leave a quick note to his wife before he made it out of the room. The early light of dawn was misty as made his way to the dungeons. He didn't fully understand how his grandfather could exactly help Harry.

"Ah, good morning, Draco." The older man was smiling ushering Draco into the room. "I'm afraid we'll have to Floo to the nearby village and then Apparate to the palace. I have managed to secure a short interview for you with our Necromancer and she will not tolerate us being late."

Draco was taken aback at his grandfather's respectful tone. "You're the Tsar; shouldn't this person make herself available to you whenever you ask?"

Shaking his head, his grandfather chuckled. "Draco, you have much to learn. Persephone is over 2,000 years old. And the power that she has over the dead is not something you take lightly. She can not only damn your soul for all eternity but can summon your dead loved ones and make them suffer as well."

Draco listened intently as the regal vampire ended on a solemn note. "She commands the respect of all and you'll do well to always remember that, especially as my heir."

Draco nodded his head respectfully as he grabbed a pinch of Floo powder and stepped through the flames.

They were traveling for about half an hour before they finally made it to a clearing. Draco caught a strong a variety of herbs and plants in the air as he focused his eyes on the small round, stone house. Smoke was rising from the chimney and he couldn't believe anyone of importance would choose to live so humbly.

"I will wait for you here. Remember, this woman is to be respected." His grandfather admonished sternly.

Draco rolled his eyes but nodded his head in assent and strolled up the worn path to the door. It creaked open just as he raised his hand to knock. He reeled back as he was overwhelmed with a kaleidoscope of overpowering scents too sweet for his strong senses. Drawing strength, he willed himself to walk into the dimly lit room.

Taking in his surroundings, the inside was poorly lit, with the sun light coming in from small windows and only a small fire burning in the middle of an oak round table. Every surface was occupied with something-books, vials, sachets of herbs, plants, anything that a wizard would ever need was a within reach. He couldn't place the color of the walls and floor, it must have been a light color centuries ago, but now it was like a continuation of the colors of all the potion ingredients.

"Draco Malfoy. Newly created Grand Duke and Heir Presumptive to the throne. I would have expected you to come visit me in regards to your marriage, but you come here today to assist a friend. Such a noble quest to one whose place in this world is so high."

Turning to the voice, he spotted a slim, small woman. He couldn't figure out her age but she appeared to be in her late twenties or early thirties. However, her eyes were sharp and full of knowledge. He could tell her eyes were ancient, older than his grandfather's. Her hair was completely white, no other color at all. It was done in a braid giving it the appearance of a silk cord that ran all the way down her back. And she was beautiful, like all immortals, but in a strange way that only inspired admiration, not lust.

Draco narrowed his eyes as he replied defensively. "There is _nothing_ wrong with my marriage, madam. In regards to my friend, I wish to save the life of someone I hold dear. There's nothing exceedingly noble of that desire. "

"No, it is. You're not a modest person, my Lord so don't deny it. You could very easily have turned your head and taken your woman away. But here you stand, fighting your nature and trying to be a normal, human wizard."

Remembering his grandfather's warning, Draco bit his tongue and walked over to her, placing a small cloth on the table. "I was told you needed something from him. This was taken a few days ago."

For a moment, the woman didn't move. Then she glanced at the cloth and smiled mysteriously. "Very well. Before we begin, however, we need to discuss the subject of payment. One ounce of your blood should suffice, for this time."

Draco stared at the woman in shock. "Why blood?"

"I have always asked the same price for everyone that has come. It helps me keep a record of my interactions; call it a habit if you'd like. I promise that it will not be used for anything but my own entertainment."

He wasn't sure what it was exactly that made him trust her, but he offered up the palm of his right hand. He watched carefully as she took an ornate silver dagger from behind her and carefully made a small shallow cut. She gathered the drops that fell into a tiny vial and waved her hand and a stopper magically appear as well his name along the side.

"Now then, just sit down and wait for me while I seek your answers."

Draco sat on a somewhat questionable-looking chair across from her. Testing it, he decided that it could bear his weight. He stared as she calmly took the rag that had a few drops of Harry's blood and placed her left hand a few inches above it. She gazed into a metal bowl burning brightly with a blue flame, her eyes changing color from rich dark brown color to an opaque milky white.

Motionless and mesmerized, he looked on unsure of what to do or how much time had passed. Minutes, hours, it didn't matter as he could not tear his eyes away. Then just as suddenly as her strange trance began, it ended. The fire instantly extinguished and her eyes returned to normal.

"Harry Potter. His parents watch over him closely still after all these years. You shall have him come see me soon after all this is over."

Draco's eyebrows shot up in hope. "Then he will live through this?"

"The boy has two souls that reside within him. You all have witnessed it at some point, the sudden foul temper, the want to push people away. He has suppressed as long as he has because he is very strong and much loved by his friends." She spoke softly. "When his task is upon him, he must be angry. He must not be himself as the killing curse is being cast so that his soul remains in him. The part of Voldermort must be allowed to come forward just this once."

"How?" Draco asked; his voice not above a whisper.

"You must find a way. That soul in him has been corrupting him for years, it must be expelled from the boy, but not too soon or the Dark Lord will notice and bring the fight sooner rather than later and it will be deadlier. You have seen into the boy's mind, you know how innocent and good he is. If he even suspects that the last piece of the Dark Lord's soul is in him, he'll do something foolish, such as attempting to take his own life. That cannot happen. It must be done properly or all is lost."

"Very well." Draco sighed deeply, he needed to come up with a plan and time was quickly running out.

"Go now. Your mate is awake and speaking to your mother."

He looked at the Necromancer in genuine gratitude. "Thank you, for everything."

"We shall see each other soon, Draco Malfoy. I sense that your next visit will be in regards to the girl. Lovely little thing that she is." She laughed as he scowled.

"My marriage is fine, madam," Draco insisted as he rose to his full height.

He narrowed his eyes as she just grinned widely. "We shall see, Your Highness."

************

Hermione woke up seeking Draco. She shot up when she noticed that the other side of the bed was empty. Frowning, she recalled Draco mentioning going out with his grandfather. Shrugging, she realized she needed to start her day. She had promised to have breakfast with Narcissa and thought that now would be a perfect time while Draco was otherwise occupied.

She showered, dressed carefully in her uniform and tried to do something with her hair. After fighting with the unruly and uncooperative curls for a few minutes, she gave up and gathered it in a low ponytail. Hermione gathered her school bag then piled Draco's books in his bag and propped it up against the small common room. Before she left, she made sure that the room was properly warded.

It took her about twenty minutes to reach the guest room where Narcissa was staying. A soft knock was answered quickly and Hermione walked in as the door swung open. Seeing Narcissa, Hermione smiled as she leaned into the hug from the woman that was like a mother to her now.

"Come in, my darling. It feels as if we haven't seen each other in so long." Narcissa wrapped an arm around the tiny girl's shoulder and led her over to a small settee. "Breakfast should be here shortly. I ordered it as soon as I caught your scent."

Narcissa allowed Hermione to settle in before proceeding kindly. "So tell me sweetheart, how have you been? Truly?"

"Everything's been be fine." Hermione was unable to face Narcissa as she replied in a small, tight voice.

Narcissa took Hermione's hand in hers. "Tell me, darling. You know that you can speak to me in all honesty."

Sighing, the young woman opened up. "It's just . . . We're still getting used to everything. We've only been married for a few days so it's taking me a bit longer to get adjust. The school year has just started but I'm already exhausted."

"Maybe you should just consider lightening your load by removing a class from your schedule and used the extra time to rest. Weariness will surely make all of you schoolwork suffer." Narcissa's tone was soft and gentle.

"I never have been this tired before and I don't need to get sick right now." Hermione confided in earnest.

Narcissa looked at Hermione suspiciously. "Sick? In what way?"

Their breakfast appeared on the small round table and Hermione stalled for a few moments while she served herself a bit of eggs and toast.

The older woman pressed her further. "Why would think that you are becoming ill?"

"I don't know, just a funny feeling. It's probably just the Muggle Flu." Hermione waved her hand dismissively.

Narcissa paused before asking calmly. "Hermione, when was your last menstrual cycle, dear?"

Hermione blushed and dropped her gaze, embarrassed that she couldn't answer. She felt Narcissa's fingers lift her face up; her eyes full of questions. "Hermione?"

Swallowing, she felt her cheeks flush. "Well, I don't remember. I-I've never been very regular. I guess maybe last month."

"Hermione, is it possible that you might be pregnant?" Narcissa said with a light behind her eyes.

Nervous, the girl put down her plate. "Well, it's possible. I was going to visit Madame Pompfrey after things settled down a bit."

"You might be putting your health at risk if you really are with child," Narcissa admonished sternly.

Hermione's head snapped up, her voice full of worry. "I promised Draco that I wouldn't fight if I got pregnant. I'd be abandoning my friends when they need me the most. I don't know if I could do that."

"Oh, my dear. Why don't we see if you really are with child before we decide on anything else?" Narcissa wrapped her arms around the trembling girl. "Don't worry, everything will be fine. I'll be right by your side through it all."


	46. Chapter 46

AN: This is the beta'd chapter, so as always, a million thank yous to Margaritama for her awesomeness. From the reviews, you all really hate Katharina, which is good, all I have to say is that she'll meddle in things much worse, but I have plans for her. REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!! I'm officially addicted, so please send me something! Next chapter is about 3 pages so far, so expect an update soon!

Hermione was vaguely aware that Narcissa was holding her hand. Her legs almost gave out on the third floor, but the older woman was there with an arm around my waist.

We made it to the doors of the hospital wing when her legs refuse to move. She tried, but her legs seemed unable to process the command.

"Hermione, darling, let us cross one bridge at a time. You're creating stress when we are not sure if there is a reason to be stressed. We'll go in, see the healer and get the results. Then we'll go back to the room and think about the next step. You're a Gryffindor, Hermione. Show me that courage that Draco once believed was so annoying."

Hermione gave her a shaky smile, trying to steel herself, but still clung to the older witch with both hands. She saw Pansy and Madame Pomfrey over at the medicine cabinet. Hermione's eyes strayed down to her friend's stomach, still flat under her uniform.

Her hand went unconsciously to her own as Narcissa called out to the healer. "May we have a moment of your time in private?"

"Of course, follow me." The healer led them both to her office, Hermione giving her friend a little wave when they passed.

"We need to find out if Hermione is pregnant." Narcissa cut to the quick.

Madame Pomfrey looked surprised for a one moment but then composed herself. "Very well. Ms. Gra . . . my apologies, Mrs. Malfoy, please undo your shirt and stay very still."

Hermione's hands shook as she did as she was asked, unbuttoning her white uniform shirt half way. She watched intently as the healer came closer with her wand and pointed towards her abdomen. Abruptly, an internal instinct seemed to go on alert. Something within her snapped and she was immediately standing behind the chair. Her right hand held her wand steady at the woman and her left rested over her stomach, protectively.

Narcissa stood slowly, hands raised in front of her. "Sweetheart, I'm right here. Nothing is going to happen because I will not leave your side."

"Why are you smiling?" Hermione said with narrowed eyes.

"You're reaction is very common when a mate is carrying a child. Let's just let Madame Pompfrey complete her examination so we may know for certain."

Hermione's wand hand shook for a moment before she lowered it. She took the hand that Narcissa offered and sat facing the healer, again.

"Well, let's just take a peek, shall we?."

Madame Pompfrey's wand emitted a yellow light and a few moments later, the light turned a pale green. "Well congratulations, Hermione. You're expecting. You're only in the first trimester. However, I'll need to do a thorough exam to ensure your health and that of the baby."

Narcissa looked over at her daughter-in-law and walked to her. "I'm sorry, but I think it's best to wait until the news settles. I'll take Hermione for now and we'll return later." Narcissa helped Hermione up and led her out, holding her in her arms gently but securely.

Once the doors to the infirmary closed, Hermione's legs gave out. Narcissa struggled for a second to hold up the tiny brunette and finally managed to walk her to a bench.

"I'm pregnant." Hermione gasped.

She could feel everything, the joy, the panic, fear. She needed Draco; he would know what to do. She pressed both hands to her stomach and looked up at Narcissa, opening and closing her mouth in an awkward attempt to speak.

"Darling, say something. What are you thinking?" Narcissa said, sitting closely next to her and taking her shaking hands in her own.

"What am I going to do? I don't know how to be a mother! We're in the middle of a war. All that I've worked for will go to someone else. What will Draco say?" Her breathing sped up again and she couldn't talk.

"Hermione, Draco will be here soon. He merely had some business to attend too."

"How can I tell him? He's already taken my place with Harry and Ron; now I'll be pushed aside and kept in the dark. Not to sound cocky but I'm a damn good fighter. I know all the spells and I've been there for the past six years. Now it all goes to waste." She had to concentrate on one feeling and remorse was the one that she could deal with at the moment without Draco immediate support.

Narcissa was silent and thoughtful for a few minutes. "Come with me." She said gently.

They made their way slowly up to Narcissa's room. The older woman warded the door after she sat Hermione on the sofa. She then sat directly next to Hermione taking her hands in her own once again. 

"Hermione, when I was pregnant with Draco, Lucius became violent. He thought that he child was someone else's. I lived in constant fear of what he might do. The house-elves, who had grown to love me, gave me a charm to place on my body. This charm protected my body against everything but the killing curse. I was tortured for months, but Draco thrived inside of me."

Hermione gasped, looking into her mother-in-laws eyes to see if she was really telling the truth.

"If you promise me that you'll take every precaution you can to keep yourself safe, you could have your place here. But the condition is that you not be in the vanguard of the attacks. You can be there, but at a safe distance where you'll be out of harm's way."

"I can fight?"

"You may participate. By this I mean, you can help lead and give support from where you'll be safe. However, I insist that you tell Draco. As soon as possible. You cannot keep him in the dark, he has a right to know."

Hermione couldn't think of much. She definitely needed Draco there. She knew that she wanted to fight, but she needed to talk to Draco. She wanted the elves' charm anyway, but Draco needed to be here. she couldn't organize her thoughts correctly, her emotions were all over the place and she couldn't stop the tears that were starting to fall down her cheeks.

A knock on the door diverted their attention and Narcissa quickly waved her wand to clean Hermione's face.She unwarded the door and went to open it. Narcissa narrowed her eyes when she saw who exactly was at the door.

"I've come for Hermione. His Highness the Grand Duke is here."

"What?" Hermione had trouble understanding the woman. She had trouble understanding most things right now and just wanted to be with Draco.

"Draco has just arrived on school grounds. I'm sure he would like to have you meet him in the common room." Katharina replied stiffly.

Hermione looked at Narcissa, her breath catching in her throat. "Go on, darling. Draco's going to want to see you and you can tell him then if you wish."

Hermione just nodded and stood slowly. She followed Katharina down the hall silently. Her hand subconsciously went to her stomach and gave it a little rub.

Complete lost in her own thoughts, she missed the calculating looks that the other woman was casting,. She didn't know how to tell Draco, but she felt that he would be ecstatic.

"I assume that congratulations are in order?"

Hermione bit her lip and looked up at the woman. She nodded, taking a step back and placing both hands against her lower belly.

"I told you that I wanted us to be friends, didn't I? I really mean it, congratulations. I remember how happy I was when I found out I was expecting."

Katharina's brain was working overtime. She had suspected that the dirty, little mudblood was pregnant, but was banking on her stupidity to buy some time. She had been formulating her plans for over a decade and she refused to let some pathetic nobody mess with them.

"How many children do you have?" Hermione asked, attempting to be friendly.

"I never had a chance to give birth. My husband found out during mating season and he was not pleased. I lost the child that very night."

Hermione stopped short. Draco wouldn't do something like that. He had been talking about having babies before they even got married. They loved each other.

"Not that I mean that it will happen to you. Your husband doesn't let himself be overcome by his Daywalker side. There is nothing to worry about." Katharina turned away and kept walking, suppressing the urge to laugh like mad. She had expected more difficulty in destroying their marriage. However, for someone that was allegedly so intelligent, it was clear that a few more words and she would fall and clear the way for her.

Hermione couldn't make her legs move. She remembered when Draco had mentioned a few times how hard it was to quell his natural instincts. If what Katharina was saying turned out to be true, she would be risking the life of her child. That was something she couldn't allow, even if it was her mate.

"May I ask a favor of you, Katharina? Please, as a friend?" Hermione asked, struggling to form the words.

"You are the future Tsarina. How may I be of service?" She forced her face remain passive while she was dancing for joy in her mind.

"Please don't mention this to Draco? I'll tell him but I need to think about how to break the news. He's under so much pressure and I want to find the right time to share this with him."

"Of course, I'll keep your secret." Katharina gave her a curt nod and bow.


	47. Chapter 47

AN: Thanks to my beta as always because this chapter wasn't the greatet before she fixed it. To Shanda because your reviews made me smile and to everyone who reviewed and set thier alerts for this story. Check out my new twilight story and as always--REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!!

Draco took his time to return to the school and his rooms.

His mind was spinning and he couldn't focus on one good, well-thought out solution. The final battle was drawing nearer every minute, and his mate was directly in the line of fire with nothing he could do to stop her. There was a huge chance his friends would die soon, if he didn't figure out a plan.

One small part of him wanted to get everybody together and share what he discovered, but the larger part wanted to prove that he could solve everything on his own. It was like an all-encompassing need to prove to everyone that he was good enough. That he deserved to be in their group, despite all the cruel things he had done. He wanted to show his mate that he could protect her from everything and he was worthy of her, that he would do anything for the family they would have.

He nodded to a few people that greeted him as he made his way upstairs. All he wanted to do was get to his room and spend some time with his wife. The shortcuts Harry and Ron had showed him came in handy and he silently thanked them. Reaching an empty hallway, he allowed himself to run at full speed, taking less than a minute to make the fifteen minute walk.

He frowned when he didn't see Hermione in their bedroom. He walked into the bathroom, not finding her there either. Her scent was still rather strong, so she couldn't have been out for too long. Sitting on the couch, he ran his hands through his hair wanting to go out and find her, but resisting the urge. If he went out to look for her, she might get upset.

He looked down and eyed his wedding band. He smiled and twisted it around his fingers a few times. The world renown House of Fabergé had been supplying the Malfoys with beautiful creations for centuries, despite their ventures into the Muggle world, a few decades ago. The wizard who handed him the rings asked what spells he wished to place on Hermione's ring but Draco had declined, knowing that he couldn't deceive her in that way. Lucius had once told him of the traditional spells that were used in pureblood families to maintain their image of marriage to the public, jewelry spells were just the tip of the iceberg. He knew for a fact that his mother's own rings had a strong servitude charm, ensuring that she did all that was demanded of her for the duration of the marriage. He had been asked if he would be interested in any and a strong urge to place a fidelity spell on the ring hit him, but he had faith in his marriage, so he went against tradition and put his full trust in her.

Draco suddenly caught Hermione's scent coming near, and he rose quickly to open the door. His smile fell when he saw who she was with. Katharina was his tutor and had helped him, but he didn't trust her, yet. He didn't want her around his wife until he had proof that she was an adequate and loyal friend, with no ulterior motives.

He gave a small smile to his mate, frowning as he looked into her eyes. There were too many emotions were for him to pinpoint just one, and they hadn't developed a solid mind connection yet. He held out his hand and his frown increased when he felt it shaking. He dismissed Katharina with a cold glare, before turning back to his mate.

"Come on, we have a few hours until we have to meet with everyone." He said, cupping her cheek gently.

Noone would be looking for them at this time of day which was rare now a days and he planned to use the time wisely. There was only two days left for the mating season and he was getting desperate. They were always so busy with everything that they hadn't truly had a chance to be together how he would like as much as he would had liked. If it were up to him, he would have them locked away in their cottage, christening every flat surface and getting rid of the embarrassment that he knew that she still felt whenever he tried to initiate anything intimate.

He pulled her behind him into their common room. He sat down and pulled her down unto his lap. Burying his face in her neck, he nuzzled the delicious skin there, earning a soft whimper from her in reward.

"Where were you?"

"I went to visit your mother. We had some things to talk about." Hermione replied softly.

"I'm pleased the two of you get along so well. You know, she's going to work with Pansy in the hospital ward when the time comes. I know they could use someone like you to help."

Hermione sighed, slightly exasperated. "Draco, please. I'm just as good as you are at dueling. I've been doing this for years. If something happened to you or someone else that I could have prevented, I couldn't live with myself. I promise I'll be extra careful, I'll be at your side the whole time if that's what you wish, but I want to fight."

Draco exhaled audibly, nodding against her neck. He'd assumed as much and would just have to try harder to convince her. Then he realized that they were wasting time talking when they could be doing something much better. He began kissing her neck, forgetting his problems, for a while, and taking advantage of the fact that they would be completely alone for the next few hours. He picked her up gently and walked them to their bedroom.

He was Draco Malfoy, the man who had slept with the majority of females in the school over the past several years. He'd be damned if they couldn't be intimate whenever they wanted, especially during the last few days of mating season. This was what he did best, a fact proven repeatedly over the past few years and he had a right to be proud.

Hermione looked around nervously as he placed her back on the ground. The nerves and fears were coming back and she tried to hold them at bay, but to no avail. She doubted that she would ever feel fully comfortable with being together intimately, but she didn't know how to express herself. She saw the look in his eyes and knew that it wouldn't be fair keep on turning away from him.

She had tried to do some research before the wedding to know what to expect, but the first hand accounts were rare and from what she had managed to gather, her feeling weren't natural. She was supposed to love this side of him but something didn't click and it stressed her to no end. And now that she was hiding something so special from him, it made her uneasy that he might take one look at her and be angry that she hadn't confided such an important secret in him.

Pleased that Hermione accepted his kisses; he took advantage and pressed her against the wall. She didn't respond as quickly as he wanted, so he kissed her with more passion, parting her lips with his tongue. She started to relax and placed her arms around his head, holding him close to her, kissing him back.

He pulled her back to the bed and pushed her down on it. Climbing on top of her, he kissed her so hard her head was pushed into a soft pillow. She pulled him closer, running her fingers through his silky blond hair. Hermione wrapped her leg around him, pulling his hips toward her, acting on just her instincts. A distinct hardness was starting to form. She could feel it pressing against her. Draco felt her start to pull away but he took her tiny hands and held them by her head, near the wooden posts of the headboard.

Draco broke the kiss for an instant to lift his robe over his head and remove his dress shirt, revealing a plain white undershirt. He leaned back down to kiss her and as he did, he began taking off her uniform shirt, shifting and rolling her on top of him. She sat straddling his hips and lifted her arms when he went to remove it completely, revealing a simple, yet seductive, green bra that made her breasts jump out at him.

She bent to kiss him and he pulled her down, kissing her roughly, his hand finding her breasts and gently rubbing them. He moved his lips down her neck, gently biting, all the way to her cleavage. He felt his fangs burning with the urge to bite down but calmed himself when he noticed she was wearing the bra that he had given her. In fact, everything that she was wearing was provided by him. This excited him even more that apart from a few sentimental things from her past, he had purchased everything.

Her tuition to her complete wardrobe was paid for by him, and it was a small proof of his ownership over her. The Daywalker in him wanted to yell from the rooftops and prove to everyone how happy they were. He knew this wasn't fully him. He recognized that he didn't feel like himself, it was as if someone scrambled his brain and implanted new feelings and sensations whenever he was close to his woman. But he couldn't seem to control it, and part of him didn't want too.

He looked into her eyes as he licked along each breast while reaching around to unclasp her bra. She sat up as he removed the bra, her breasts shimmering in the early afternoon light. She looked down at him and smiled slightly, blushing deeply. He returned the smile, feeling how nervous she truly was and pulled her down to kiss him again. He nibbled on her earlobe before moving down to tease her nipples with his tongue. She couldn't help but let out a loud moan at this. He continued until her breath got fast and ragged. She made little noises each time she exhaled.

He flipped her onto her back and climbed back over her. He tore off his own shirt and kissed her again, their bare upper bodies pressing against each other. He ran a hand down the side of her body and reached up under her skirt. He slid her knickers to the side and moved his finger into her silky wetness. She arched her back and moaned.

He nearly lost his mind when he felt how tight she was, just like the first time they made love. He pulled her knickers down to her knees and plunged a second finger inside of her. Her breath grew harsher. He used his thumb to play with her clit while he teased her nipples again with his tongue. He kept this going until she let out a strangled yell and her body shuddered with release.

He kissed her softly, not taking his fingers from her warm core. He let her breathing get back to normal before twisting his fingers inside of her, to let remind her they were still there. She gasped and moaned, and looked up at him with a shocked expression that made him want to laugh.

Gently, he removed his fingers and watched her as he started to remove his trousers, his cock springing up as he dropped his boxers. Hermione's eyes widened as she saw him again. Draco knew he was well-endowed. He was hot, hard and thick for her. She closed her eyes, wanting to turn away but Draco pulled her face back to him. Somewhere in her mind she knew, as soon as he bit her, the pain would only last for a few seconds and go away, but she still couldn't help but be embarrassed. She put too much thought on the act that they were about to do, and couldn't let her mind relax enough to just let her feel, enjoy it and learn how to gain control.

He couldn't take it anymore. Her heart beating so fast made her blood smell stronger than ever, and she looked too warm and pliant under him. Growling lightly, he jumped onto the bed, taking her arms and holding them above her head as he positioned himself above her. He tilted his head to the side and looked into her eyes, seeing the fear and uncertainty in the brown orbs. He wanted to stop and comfort her but his basic instincts took over completely and he plunged into her, silencing her cry with a deep kiss.

He bent his head down, licking the mark that would be on her skin forever, from his first bite. It was dark red and seemed to be calling him. Letting go of his restraint, he bit down and drank quickly from her warm body. He didn't stop when he heard her cry out in pain, knowing it would pass soon. However, he did slow down and try to be as gentle as possible as he pushed into her until he buried to the hilt in her soft warmth.

Hermione gasped, her body writhing as she tried to adjust to him. He slowly started moving in and out of her, pulling his teeth back from her breast, and slowly and steadily thrusting until she started to moan again. Then he nearly pulled out of her and rammed back into her. He did this repeatedly, enjoying the pleasure-filled squeals she emitted.

She wrapped her legs around him when she felt his hands guiding her, as he pounded into her. They were both close. He kept up the pace until she started screaming out in pleasure. He pushed himself into her one last time and she felt his warm seed mix with her own, before he collapsed on top of her.

Draco couldn't believe how he felt. It had never been that good with anyone else. He felt his heart beating at an almost human rate, his entire body felt electrified. They both moaned when he slowly pulled out of her and drew her closer to him when he lay down on his side of the bed.

"There's something different." He kissed and nibbled her salty skin.

"What?" She asked her voice raspy.

"Your blood tasted different. I'm not sure . . . it was very faint, but definitely different."

"Is that bad?"

He detected a nervous undertone in her voice but decided to ignore it. If it was important, he would have known but for right now, he wanted to enjoy the little time that they had to themselves. "Of course not. Go to sleep, I'll wake you up when it's time to leave."

It took less than a minute for her body to fully relax and breathing to even out. Draco just rolled her over and looked down. She was everything that he could ever want and never even dreamed he would need. He gazed her flat stomach and placed his hands gently under her belly button. He tried feeling for something, hoping to catch a tiny fragment of possible life forming but felt nothing except his complete love for her. He still had her taste lingering, there was something different there, but he just couldn't place it.

The scent of his mother's black owl came to him before he actually heard the taps on the common room window. He slowly pulled away from his mate and bent down to reach his boxers. He slid them on as he made his way quietly to the main room and opened the window to let the bird in. It dropped off a tiny box and left without waiting for anything.

He fetched and unwrapped the tiny box with Hermione's name written in his mother's hand. Confused, he found a tiny jewelry box, and flipped the lid and looked at the thin platinum ring with a small, powder blue stone. He walked back to the bedroom still staring at it.

His mother owned more jewelry than the Muggle queen, so for her to give a piece to his woman was not that strange, but why would she give her something so plain. Draco smiled when he saw that Hermione had dragged his pillow down, and was hugging it tightly.

He walked to the bed when another smell caught his attention. He followed it towards the cracked bedroom window, and he felt his heart stop. On the horizon towards the end of the forest, close to the mountains, he saw a faint cloud of smoke rising from the tree line.

His improved eyesight allowed him to be able to see dozens of Centaurs running through the forest towards the school, away from whatever it was that burned. Panic rose in his body. Grabbing his clothes and wand, he ran out of the room at full speed towards Harry's room. He banged on the door and sent a Patronus to Ron and Pansy to meet up at the training room.

"We have trouble." He said quickly when Harry opened the door, Ginny behind him. They both ran down with him but he went around the corner to go back to his room.

He shook Hermione awake slowly, kissing her tenderly. "Love, we have to go. I saw something and we need to leave now." He helped her get dressed and they raced down to the ground floor of their tower.

When they arrived, Dumbledore and all the professors were congregating, along with some members of the Order and quite a few Aurors. The room was crowded and everyone was yelling over each other. The one who they should be listening to was in a small corner of the room, arms tightly around Ginny.

Not even Dumbledore could make them calm down. They were all wasting time by standing around and arguing, while Voldermort gathered his army.

"ENOUGH!" Draco yelled at the top of his lungs. The room instantly went silent and they all turned to him. "You bastards are bickering and arguing, while children in the building are in the line of fire. You're not even bothering to listen to the one person who could save your sorry arses."

Harry seemed to find his voice and called out. "Get the Prefects and the Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Years to help evacuate the younger children from all the Houses to safety. The Ministry is not an option, since that is most likely the next target. Lets get that done first; we'll all meet at the Quidditch pitch in one hour."


	48. AUTHOR'S NOTE WELL BETA NOTE

Hi everyone:

margaritama here – I'm Jenalise beta. I just wanted to share that Jenalise is the proud mommy of two gorgeous (and I mean gorgeous) twin little girls. They were born on 5/22/09 and both weighed in at 4 pounds.

Mommy and her girls are doing well. Jenalise wanted to thank you all for your support and enthusiasm for her story. She'll be back as soon as she can but for now is just enjoying being a new mommy and getting some rest.

Stay tuned! Oh and put the story on "author alert" if you haven't already.

Thanks.

Best,

margaritama


	49. Chapter 49

**AN: Hi, I'm back. The girls are doing well and getting cuter and bigger everyday. I have them down with a sleep schedule that I'm used to now and updates will come about once a week now (Cross my heart!). This chapter is not beta'd so all mistakes are mine. This chapter is most likely going to change in a few days when my beta looks it over. As always, please please please review, ask questions or anything. Thanks!**

Hermione looked desperately around, trying to see if Narcissa was there. Her eyes found Draco's as he made his way quickly to her side. "Have you seen your mother?"

"Oh, I almost forgot. She had this delivered." He said, pulling out the small box with the tiny ring.

Hermione snatched it from his hand and tore the box open. She breathed out a sigh of relief when she found the simple piece of jewelry.

"Should I even bother asking what that is about?" Draco said with a smile.

"Its between us." Hermione said with a small nervous smile as she slipped the ring onto her right hand ring finger.

She looked around and saw that the room was almost empty. "I think we should go get the houses together. Are you ok with the Slytherins?"

"Of course. Go get those lions of yours and hurry back to the hall." He gave her a gentle kiss, holding on to her for a second longer.

"I'll be safe, Draco. just make sure you keep yourself safe too." She held onto him, feeling at peace when she felt a warm swell of magic start on her hand and running over her body, pooling at her stomach.

"There is still time to go back and help out in the hospital wing." He whispered into her ear.

"Draco, I go where you go. I'll be careful, I swear on my life and I'll be as close to you as I can. We'll watch eachothers back."

"Draco, lets go!" Pansy called out from the door.

Draco took one last look at her before he turned and became a blur right in front of her eyes. She turned at found Ginny next to her. "Lets go to the tower. Harry needed to go get a few things with Dumbledore."

Hermione nodded and they ran out of the room. In the hallway, teachers, prefects and students were running in the opposite direction. She saw Draco giving her one last look before turning and running towards the dungeons.

They ran all the way to Gryffindor tower, finding the DA already starting to gather some of the younger students. Neville waved them over as he herded the first and second years. "Fifth years and up want to stay and fight. Nice of them to offer, but harry would have a fit if he knew."

Hermione just bit her lip and tried to think. "Ok, have them guard something. Up in one of the hard to reach tower."

Neville nodded and motioned over to Seamus with his head to do as Hermione said. "Come on you guys, the tunnels are a long walk." Neville said to the younger children that were huddled together in front of him.

Ginny gripped Hermione's shoulder for a second before she followed Neville. Hermione went over to Seamus and helped him organize the group that had decided to stay. They were the last to leave and the entire tower went empty in less then two minutes.

Hermione took one last quick look around the room and ran out, making her way to the Ravenclaws common room. She quickly went to work with the prefects on gathering the nervous students and getting them out the door.

She began to quickly search the classrooms around the floor and directed the kids that she found to follow the larger flow of students quickly going down the hall.

After she checked the last room, she began making her way down the stairs. She passed a window and saw a dark shadow halfway across the forbidden forest. She worriedly twisted the small ring, wishing that she had something like that for Draco and all the people that were about to risk their lives.

She headed downstairs, directing prefects to double check every room and every floor. Her thoughts couldn't help but turn to her husband, knowing that he was in worse place to be right now.

****************

Draco quickly made his way down to the dugeons with Pansy by his side. The air grew colder as he neared the place he had called home for years. Of his two true friends from his past life, one was running next to him, and the other was running for safety to another country.

That Blaise was not going to be there. his true partner in crime since they were children was gone and he hoped he had escaped safely. He owed it to his old friend to at least wish that for him.

The walls were trembling with all the activity from the upper floors. He turned stopping in front of the door that led to the Slytherin common room. He stopped short before calling out the password and turned to his friend, who was panting by his side.

"Alright?"

"I'm pregnant, not an invalid." She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I know. Just stay close behind me, I don't know what reception we'll get." He replied, mumbleing the password and waiting to the stones to part to allow them to enter.

The first thing that he noticed was that the common room was noticeably divided. Most of the house stood on one side of the room and in the middle, sitting in front of the fireplace was a group of 10, and by the looks of it, they were being led by Theodore Nott.

If ever there was another person in school that he truly hated, it was Nott. They were forces to walk in the same circles, but it was apparent that they both truly hated each other. His wand hand twitched and he felt the venom pooling in his mouth. It would take less than one full second for his death but there were more important things to do.

"I need everyone to listen up." Draco called out, his voice carrying to the far corners of the common room and making everyone either look up or come closer.

"The school is being evacuated. Everyone is to go to the great hall right now."

"What about our things?" Asked a tiny voice from somewhere Draco didn't see.

"That is not what's important right now. Unless you'd still like to be here when the battle breaks out, I suggest leaving immediately to join the rest of the school. It is doubtful that the fighting will occur in the houses, but that isn't what's important."

The Slytherins filed quietly by the door, waiting for more instructions. Draco noticed that the small group by the fireplace rose as one and made their way up to the dormitories. He looked over and saw that Pansy had noticed the same also and with an unnoticeable tilt of his head, he motioned towards the students waiting.

He felt the fear coming off of the younger students, and realized that while they wont be volunteering to help with the fighting, they would at least not be in the way and he would at least have that advantage.

Pansy calmly began leading the students out while Draco brought up the rear and they began the slow process up to the main hall. Along the way they had to stop to check every class room, every secret stop that may have contained lingering teenagers. His wand was still out, but he managed to relax a bit when he saw that no one had even attempted to attack Pansy or himself and he just concentrated on getting them up and out of the way so that he could join and make sure Hermione was safe.

He knew now what needed to be done and he just hoped that she was nowhere near when it happened. The plan had been fully imbedded now in his mind and he knew that it was the right thing to do. He just had to steel himself to be able to carry it out.

********************

Hermione was helping the prefects get the students through the secret passage way behind the staffs table that led to Hogsmead. She tried to keep her mind off Draco, but couldn't help glancing at the door or through the crowd, trying to spot silvery blonde hair. She spotted harry with his head near Dumbledore's, Ron and Ginny ushering students wearing riding gear and frowned when she didn't see Pansy.

She went over to help Neville with the younger years and tried to concentrate on that. Every few minutes, her hand went to her lower stomach without thinking. Of course it was still flat like always but she just like to know that it was inside her, a tiny part of Draco and her that they made. She had wanted to tell him as soon as she had the thought, but now wasn't the time as Katharina had advised.

The room was nearly empty when she looked up and managed to see Draco's head towering above what seemed to be most of his house. She raced through the crowd, yelling apologies whenever she bumped into someone.

Draco smiled at her and held his arms open. She noticed that the Slytherins were staring. Most of the people around them that could see were still starring also. While most of the student body had become accustomed to seeing them like this, it was still a curious sight. She clung to him, realizing how scared she really was. The danger that they were all in was suddenly there and it was not a definite that their side would win.

The chances of having no casualties were not good. Sirius had once said that about 1 out of 7 fighters didn't survive the first war and now she stood to lose friends and loved ones. She pushed the thought out of her mind. Dwelling on such things would not be productive right now and they were ready. Delaying this would only bring problems to harry and that was never good.

"I have to go, love. The Daywalkers have sent their army and they need to be briefed." Draco said into her hair after what seemed only a few seconds.

Hermione pulled away, holding his hands for a few seconds longer. "You'll be careful, right? No macho daredevil stuff?"

Draco gave a little laugh. "And risk getting this perfect body messed up? Not bloody likely." He replied. He pulled her against him again, bending down to her ear. "Besides, I want to show you some nice little tricks for when we can have a proper honeymoon."

He pulled away a little, making Hermione turn a deep crimson and he hooked his finger under her chin to keep her from looking down at the floor. He kissed her gently, staying connected for a few seconds.

"I'm going against every cell in my body and letting you do this. Don't make me regret this."

"I'll be fine. We've been doing these things since first year and it'll all work out. Something tells me that this will be over fairly quickly and then we'll never have to go through this again. Think of our future children, we're here to make sure that they will be born into a world that will be safe and beautiful." She almost blurted out her secret right there, but bit her tongue at the last second. This definitely wasn't the time or the place for that conversation.

She was about to say something when the castle trembled. It almost sounded like a groan from the very earth and suddenly, the aurors near the main doors came running in, wands in hand. "Deatheaters are at the entrance to the forbidden forest!" Kinsley shouted.


	50. Chapter 50

**AN: hey y'all, I'm back. I'm so so so so sorry for the delay. My babies were ill and they were let out of the hospital 2 weeks ago and are finally doing well. I've read every review and can't thank everyone enough for each wonderful word, it makes my heart smile! **

**This chapter hasnt been beta'd yet, but hopefully it will be soon. I'm honestly working on the next chapter so expect that on Saturday or Sunday. Hopefully you all like it, and leave a comment, critique, anything at all and i'll take it into consideration. Love y'all!!!!**

Draco stared at the men assembled in front of him. They were gathered on the transfiguration courtyard. 400 of the best soldiers of the whole daywalker army stood at attention in front of him, the chaos of the school preparing to fight was drowned out by the beat of his heart. His grandfather stood next to his, the supreme commander formally giving the control over to him.

Draco took his queue and walked next to his grandfather. "I'll not bore you with a long speech. You all are here to do what you do best. You're concentration should be on the vampires- to stop them before they infect the students and order members that are going to be fighting alongside you. I know of your skill, so this should be fairly easy. The vampires are mostly newborns, so their skills are not advanceded.

"There are going to be young students fighting alongside, my friends are among them. I have faith that you'll do your best. We want to end this quickly, I know all of you have women waiting back home, but mine is going to be right on the battlefield, I want to make sure she makes it out safely and that all of you go back to your mates." With that, he turned, drawing his wand and looking towards his grandfather.

The roar of the men in front of him surprised him, but he kept his face the same. He looked towards the castle and could see people along the open corridors taking defensive positions. Aurors were forming ranks along the front of the castle, Harry and Dumbledore right at the center, believing it to be the most protected. Hopefully, if things go like he planned, they wouldn't need to spend to long there.

He spotted red hair near where harry was supposed to be and he knew that that was where he needed to be. Hermione would be near and he had to find a safe way for her to be apart from the group when he put his plan into motion.

The army of daywalkers were forming groups so he turned back and headed towards the tall figure of the headmaster where he was giving orders to everyone. Harry was in front; with Rons' head lowered-talking fast and trying not get pushed aside by the people running around the grounds. He made his way over, standing next to Ginny on his right and with Hermione on his left. He wrapped an arm around her waist and drew her closer, pressing a kiss to her temple.

He listened for a few minutes, agreeing with the plan so far. Harry was to be at the center, Hermione to his right and Draco positioned himself right behind her, to better protect her while still being in place for his plan. Dumbledore was in front of Harry, still directing others to their places and casting charms all around, making no sense to any others but himself.

All around was a strange organized chaos that somehow seemed to get things done and he felt a sudden sense of hope that this would work. If only he could get the timing right, and play his part everything will work and the war will be over with by the end of the day. But he first had to get everyone in place and pray that it worked.

Ten aurors joined their group; Kinsley and Mad Eye Moody among them which made Draco feel slightly more comfortable with the added measure. All around, battle formations were forming and the chaos calmed. The time had apparently come, and now things were sharply in focus.

Draco made his way over to Hurry's side, receiving a small glare from Hermione when he took the spot that had for years meant to be hers, but he needed to stick to harry like glue for his plan to work, the fact that she wasn't going to be directly next to the main target was just an added bonus.

"I just wanted to thank you all. You know, for standing by me and everything. Its brilliant, so…yeah, I guess I wanted to thank you."

"As if we'd be anywhere else." Ron replied.

"This will end everything. Today, everything will be solved. Just remember, what we do here and to those people aren't the real us." Draco answered.

Harry nodded, looking behind and threading his fingertips with Ginny's for a second. He offered a smile at Hermione and the others down the line and held his wand before him at the ready.

"Remember, Harry. To cast an unforgivable, you need to mean it. If you want to control, make suffer or kill someone, you have best feel it in the pit of your soul. If you can't, then use the hexes you know. Remember that a simple severing spell can kill a man if strong enough."

Both Harry and Ron looked a little green at that, but the wands held in their hands kept steady. Draco looked towards the horizon, guessing that it was around 10 in the morning. That meant a good while until they could use the full power of their vampires while the sun was shining brightly through the clouds.

All was still for moments, Draco didn't really know for how long exactly-minutes, seconds or hours. He was entirely aware of Hermione. Their mental link wasn't strong at all, but he still felt her near and doing well. The wind carried her scent from coming from the west, so he was satisfied for now.

He caught the fainter scents of his other friends, instinctively knowing that they were fairing well under the circumstances so he didn't worry yet. He stuck by harry, making sure to not arise suspicion but knowing that the faster he put his plans to the front, then the less lives would be lost.

Another hour passed when he spotted the area in the forest from where the fresh Deatheaters came out and the vampires were waiting for the sun to hide beneath the clouds again. Already they had overtaken an auror, so time was against them on this matter.

Harry was actually headed towards there without any prodding, so that was in his favor also. He just hoped that his plan worked, and that Hermione wouldn't hate him too much for what he was about to do. His plan was centered on something so unpredictable but it was the best alternative that he could come up with that made sense.

The closer they got to the forest, the fainter his sense of Hermione grew. She was sticking with Ginny and a group of Ravenclaws, so that put his mind somewhat at ease.

"Harry!" He called out, knowing that the time was coming up. He watched as harry stop and turn towards him. "Whatever happens, just know there's a reason for what needs to be done. Everything will work out."

Harry gave him an odd look and nodded slowly. The closer they got the farther away the world seemed to be. The tall trees that marked the forbidden line of the forest cast an oppressive shadow over them. A few yards away was where the death eaters were taking the field.

Draco cast one last look back, seeing his wife back to back with Ginny, holding up perfectly against 3 Deatheaters. It went against every instinct in his body to be so far from her, but he had to do this now. Ron had fought right next to them the whole time and now he was being held up in his own duel with a masked deatheater.

Another minute of walking and they were enveloped in the darkness of the surrounding trees. The shouts of the others were muffled by the shrubbery. The sun was blocked by the branches but still managed to attempt to cast its light, only making it a green despondent scene.

A scent coming from the west caught his attention. Harry was in front, wand out without being able to see as well as he did. Dozens of vampires Deatheaters were forming rows, combat positions already set.

Draco took a deep breath, sending out a silent prayer that this didn't permanently sever his relationships; he stepped right behind his friend. "Hey, let me see you wand for a second?" he whispered, his heart beating faster than it had in months.

With full trust, harry twisted towards him, wand extended. Without taking time to think and give himself a chance to back out, Draco snatched the wand and pointed his own directly over Harry's heart.

Before the question was fully out of his friends mouth, he petrified his friend. The thump his body made was loud enough to draw attention to them. He quickly cast a protective shield against the others and bared his fangs and claws out, taking a half crouching position next to his friends body. From now on, his thoughts needed to be entirely on point, one errant thought and they would all likely die.

"Well, well. What have we here? A traitor and the our Lords prime target." Came the gruff voice that clearly remembered from his childhood.

"Mulciber. I see that the years have made you even more pathetic." Draco replied with a sneer. He stood from his crutch but did not fully relax his stance.

From the corner of his eye he saw another masked deatheater raise his wand. Draco smirked, raising his eyebrow when the red light rebounded off his shield. "Take me to the Dark Lord. And I'm rather in a hurry."

Three more Deatheaters joined them. "No one gets Potter but me. I claim the glory of bringing him to the Dark Lord. Take me to him now or you'll see just how blood thirsty a newborn Daywalker can really be."

After a few moments they turned and began to make their way deeper towards the woods. Draco levitated Harry's body and followed them, carefully keeping up the shield around them.

They walked for about ten more minutes, not saying one word. The smell of his mate grew faint, barely detectable. He tried block out thoughts of her, knowing that she was strong enough to hold her own at least for a while. It was a hard and it went against his instincts but he shoved that to the back of his mind, knowing that it was something that might ruin his plan.

He slowly withdrew the small blade from the wrist strap that he wore, leaving only the tip out of his sleeve. He knew that he would only have one shot at this and it would have to be perfect.

They went deeper and deeper into the forest, the smells and sounds slowly disappearing, and Draco noticed that there were no animals around. The air was definitely thicker, making the hairs on his arm stand. He didn't even try to retract his fangs, the instinct was too much a part of himself that he worried it might have given him away, but he would cross that bridge when needed.

After a few more minutes, Draco managed to catch the first glimpse of what appeared to be a campsite. He straightened up, testing the magical shield for its flexibility. They all stopped right outside the circle of Deatheaters and waited to be acknowledged.

"Can this be real? Draco Malfoy playing the role of the prodigal son and returning to his true place or is this some trick of Dumbledore to let our guard down." The raspy voice came from the center of the circle, standing next to the bonfire with the giant snake laying across his shoulder and draped down his body.

Draco repressed a shudder and locked away his thoughts. Everything depended on the lie now. "My Lord." Draco replied, bowing.

"My Lord? Well, well. And is there one reason why I shouldn't just feed you to Nagini right this instant?"

"Because I have delivered you Harry Potter. Right here and at your feet. I don't see any of these other pathetic so called Deatheaters risking their necks in order to secure their place in the inner circle of the mudbloods and traitors. I've been earning their trust for months, and now I want my rightful place by your side."

"Harry Potter? Is this true?"

Draco floated Harry's frozen body, dropping it roughly in front of Voldermort.

"I can't believe it. A stunned, wandless chosen one, so simply done and at my mercy. All this time wasted on these fools. So called masters in the dark arts and all it took was a child's lie. Draco, my dear devoted boy, come stand to my right and take the place that you deserve."

Draco smirked, feeling the fury radiating from Lucius. His father was trembling with feeling and he almost couldn't suppress the large gloating smile.

Draco roughly kicked harry on his way over to the right hand side of the dark robed figure that proceeded over this morbid gathering.

"Stand him up, Draco. I want to hear the thud as his body hits the ground."

Draco slightly bowed, the action concealing the gash he made on the palm of his hand with the blade that was still up his sleeve, tucked out of sight and sent a silent prayer that he was right, that he wasn't making a tragic mistake. But he was confident and knew that this was the right path.


	51. Chapter 51

**AN: Hey y'all. I know, I know-its been forever and a day, but I was writing crap and I didn't want to post junk. I want to fairly skip over the end of the war and stuff because I want to get to the good stuff. I plan on posting the next chapter to this Sunday/Monday because I know exactly what I want to happen. YAY!! REGULAR UPDATES AGAIN!!! **

**A trillion thank yous to all the wonderful reviews, I read each and every one of them and they all just make me smile. I will start responding to them all since now I know exactly whats going on with this story. You're all in for a roller coaster in the next few chapters! **

**REVIEWS MAKE ME TYPE FASTER!!**

**AND OF COURSE, I OWN NOTHING, DAMN THAT GODDESS THAT IS ROWLING!!**

Hermione looked around her. Ron was a few yards away, Ginny in the opposite direction, others all around her. The aurors and Dumbledore had asked them to not worry about having to cast the killing curse-to only incapacitate, disarm, and bind the fallen Deatheaters.

The next spell that came out of her wand threw the massive dark shape of the deatheater that was aiming at her and it threw him straight back, knocking down two others and making him crash against a boulder.

She tried to make her way towards Ron, hoping that he was near Harry and she just couldn't spot him. She kept on moving, casting curses as fast as she could. When she got to Ron, they quickly moved around each other to be back to back. "Where's Harry?" she yelled, looking around quickly.

"Draco!" Ron yelled, pushing her down and ducking a nasty curse from one of the Deatheaters. It seemed as they were drawing unwanted attention. She noticed several Deatheaters abandon other duels to make their way over to the two of them. A red hex passed right by her head, the slight smell of burnt hair making her worry. She had lost sight of Draco and Harry and the spells being cast were getting closer to the unmentionables.

She made her way over to Ron, trying to find Harry and Draco without success. She took an extra second to aim her wand properly and shot a curse at the massive figure in black robes that was clearly aimed directly at them. It worked and the figure knocked down two others that were dueling nearby also.

She turned back and found herself in the middle of three advancing deatheaters. Ron was in the middle of another duel and no one was near or free to help her. She squashed a sense of panic and took her defensive position, running through all the tips that Professor Lupin had been giving them.

Her shield managed to block the first two hexes but the third passed through and she felt burning fingers tighten around her throat and the air lodge in her lungs. The three masked men advanced towards her, wands still drawn. Her eyes started to lose focus as she clawed at her neck, trying to keep a hold on her own wand.

The dark men were about 10 feet away, but the hex only became stronger, gripping her neck tightly, making her bend her head to the side, trying anything to alleviate the pressure or try to get some air in. She began to see black spots and her lungs burned. She fell to her knees and the wand slipped from her hands but then a second later, the spell was gone.

She blinked a few times and managed to start to stand when she heard the killing curse being called to the deatheaters that had surrounded her started to fall in seconds.

"Your Imperial Highness, forgive me for taking so long to get to you." Said a young man, his pale skin reminding Hermione of her missing husband.

Without waiting for a reply, he bowed and then disappeared into the fray. Hermione stood still for a few seconds, her hand protectively held over her lower belly, reassuring herself that everything was alright.

She took her offensive stance and began firing hexes as fast as she could. Time past, how much she didn't know but it seemed like there were more deatheaters laid low then from their side. She saw school mates starting to clear away the injured with portkeys, others dueling as fiercely as the aurors.

Something caught her attention. She didn't know if it was a smell or sound, but something made her turn and face the forest. She ran over to Ron, never stopping the hexes. "Harry and Draco aren't here! I think they might be deeper in the forest!" Hermione called out when she was close enough to Ron.

She saw him nod and they both started clearing the way to get into the relative safety of the trees. They both went back to back, turning in a circle together to make sure that no one was around. "Come on. Lets go this way." Hermione whispered, finally managing to catch her breath. She felt something trickle down her cheek and wiped away some blood, not even remembering when or how she got cut.

"'Mione, where are we going?"

"I don't know. But we need to go find Harry and Draco. I have a feeling that they're both here somewhere. We need to find them. Something's not right for them to just leave us all like that."

Something pulled her direction. She didn't know how or why, but she knew where she was going, knowing also that Draco would be there. Hermione pulled Ron's shirt and they ran a quietly as they could, still looking about to make sure there was no one.

They ran for a while, Ron keeping up with her all along, not daring to ask questions. Hermione stopped suddenly, yanking on Rons arm when he didn't notice. "The snake!" she mouthed, pointing towards a clearing several feet away where the giant serpent was coiled. She couldn't believe their luck, one of the last horocrux just laying there unprotected.

"Wait here." Ron whispered back, drawing out a small dagger from his waist that she remembered Draco giving him just a few days ago.

She nodded, "be careful, ron. Love you." With a quick peck on the cheek, she stood still, her arm shaking but steady enough to aim a spell right.

She watched as Ron, the boy she had known since what seemed forever, sneak around crouched and freeze the giant snake. She watched as he took out of the special daggers that Dumbledore had given them all and quickly severed the things head, getting blown back and crashing into a tree.

"Ron!" Hermione ran to him, dropping to her knees and trying to remember all her healing spells that they were taught. She looked down and saw his hand burnt black, the dagger still oozing blood from both the blade and the hilt.

"Well, well. This is a nice little surprise!" Someone said. Hermione quickly spun around and looked up to see a masked deatheater with his wand pointed right at her head. She automatically moved her body to cover more of Ron, trying to think of a way out of this.

"None of that, mudblood." He said, moving closer a few feet and plucking her wand right out of her hand. "I think I'll just keep this for now, if you don't mind. Besides, im sure you wouldn't want to miss the grand end to this little skirmish."

Before she knew it, she was in a full body bind and was being floated right behind the masked man, Ron still unconscious next to her. She tried to think of a way out, praying that Draco or Harry would come along.

They traveled deeper into the forest, her back arched painfully and Rons hand still seeping blood. She managed to spot a blue fire burning behind some trees, guessing correctly that that was their destination.

When they reached the clearing, her heart could have stopped. She didn't understand the scene in front of her: Draco, standing tall and unhurt, next to Voldermort. The worst was that harry was at their feet, unmoving, the ground wet with what might be blood.

Someone stepped closer to her side, but she couldn't move. She looked into her husbands eyes, trying to see something that would explain what was going on-why he was here, why he was doing nothing while their friends were getting hurt and possibly dying. But most importantly why harry was lying so still and he was standing next to the enemy.

But she didn't see anything. With cold dread, she looked into his eyes and saw nothing. He was looking right at her, but it was as if he didn't really see her.

"You!" the voice at her side had such pure hate that it was what finally broke her out of her trance, when she turned it was only to be met with a fist to the side of her face. The blow knocked her down to the floor.

"Touch her one more time, and I'll kill you immediately." Draco hissed, pointing his wand out, but his face still void of true emotion.

"My Lord, you see this?! This is all a ruse to weaken us! He's defending this filthy whore, yet claims allegiance to you."

"I still need the mudblood to breed. Once I'm done with her, she'll be disposed of. But for now, I must insist that she be untouched or else my instincts will come out."

Lucius Malfoy ripped off his mask, sneering at his son from across the fire. Hermione just couldn't comprehend what she was hearing. Her mind was going a mile a minute and she didn't want to believe what was happening.

All of a sudden, she felt another sharp blow to her knee and not a second later, the killing curse came from Draco. The mans body landed solidly in front of her. She couldn't look, knowing that her husband had just murdered someone right before her eyes, no matter how deserving the person was.

"My Lord, end this already. Kill Potter and lets finish this so we can begin your reign. The longer we wait, the more something can go wrong." Draco said, as if he hadn't just cast an unforgivable.

"Yes. My loyal friends, now you all shall witness the birth of a new era and the death of the lies that Dumbledore created. Harry Potter now dies, like the silly child that he really is."

Voldermort tilted his head to the left, as if examining an item before its purchase. With a lazy smile, he slowly raised his wand, as if he didn't have a care in the world and said the two words. She watched in horror as her friends body gave a small jolt and then nothing. A scream died in her throat and she looked a little higher and saw Draco staring at Harry's body strangely, with what seemed to be anticipation.

"Check the body! I must make sure he's dead before we parade his carcass in front of the muggle lovers!" Voldermort called out, beginning to pace back and forth but never coming any closer to the prone figure on the ground.

She watched in shock as Draco bent over, staying for almost a whole minute over the still body. Hermione just couldn't understand what was happening. She had witnessed it, but it just didn't make sense in any way. How could they have all been so deceived by him? Herself especially and now it was worse that she was carrying his child. How could she explain all this to him when the time came that its father had murdered her best friend.


	52. Chapter 52

**AN: Wow, new chapter already! YAY!!! Special thanks and cookies to pcirish, mistyveiledlove, irmorena, cullen's pet, Dramione-fan 17, readerforlife and souls of fire. **

**I definitely know whats going on with this story and now its gonna get really good. I've already have 2 pages typed up of the next chapter and we get some more of Katharina. Remember- reviews make me type faster. If I get 20 reviews, that'll equal a chapter by Wensday!**

**Again, thanks a mil-and this chapter isn't beta'd and it might have a few mistakes here and there. Enjoy!**

Draco was getting nervous. The wind blew towards him and he could have sworn that he caught Hermione's scent for a second, but that was impossible. He had his grandfather assign his best daywalker to watch over her to make sure she was as safe as possible.

He looked down, making sure that the cut he had made on his friends body was still bleeding. Hopefully, the anticlotting potion that he had been sneaking into his drinks would be enough to keep the wound fresh for a while longer even in such small quantities.

He could feel his fangs trying to cut loose every time he heard his father. There was nothing more that he would like to do at that instant then end his life, but he had to remain in control. One little slip and his plan would be shot.

A few minutes later, his concentration was almost gone when he saw his mate being led by Goyle Sr. Blood was now pooling in his mouth as his fangs came out. He almost dropped down to a crouch, but his fathers' words stopped him. Instead, he forced himself to calm down and pointed his wand towards the man. He hoped that the excuse of being his mate would keep her from harm for now, since now he was playing the role correctly and had some say now that he had their confidence.

When he saw his mate hit the floor, his control fell. The killing curse was out of his mouth before she really fully hit the ground. He pushed it to the back of his mind, refusing to think about this until everything was over.

"My Lord, end this already. Kill Potter and let's finish this so we can begin your reign." He needed to finish this. He hadn't properly looked at his wife and his mind was breaking, knowing that his words were going to make his explanations later on so much more difficult. He tasted Ron's blood in the air, but not enough to be an immediate concern.

He watched with strange fascination as Harry's body jerk once, then nothing. He knew that he had less than a minute before the blood flow stop, so he wrapped his palm tightly around his concealed dagger, not giving any sign as he felt the sting of the blade and the warm blood run down his finger.

When Voldemort yelled for someone to check the body, he immediately stepped forward, thanking every god he'd ever heard of. He knelt over the body, trying again not to feel any emotion at watching his best friend lying on the ground dead.

His robe covered his actions as he clutched Harry's hand. Their wounds matched up, Draco pressing as hard and as long as he dared. He looked down and saw that the edges of Harry's wound were starting to close-not enough for a human to see, but it was healing. He prayed that it wasn't some fluke, that his crazy reckless plan had actually worked.

"He's dead, My Lord." He called out. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw his wife faint, which suited him fine. He hid his disgust at the maniacal laugh, faking enthusiasm like the other masked deatheaters.

"Draco, you shall have anything you want! You are now my most trusted, most beloved follower. I'm giving you the honor of watching over the body as we gather. When we're all together-it is you that will walk by my side and its going to be your wand that drags the filthy body towards his people while I declare my glorious victory."

Draco was saved from responding when Voldemort turned quickly and began pressing on the dark mark of his remaining death eaters. His ears picked up a strange noise. He heard it again a few seconds later. It was a very weak heartbeat. He looked down and heard it again after a few more seconds.

He looked around and saw that everyone was huddled at the other side of the clearing surrounding their master and boasting loudly. He knelt down, as close as he could but still looking up at the group. "Harry-I know you can hear me. Don't move until you feel the cut on your hand fully healed. Stay as still as possible.

He kept on repeating the sentence as he heard the beating heart grow stronger. Squeezing his friends shoulder when he gasped. "Stop! You're only going to have one chance with him and you are going to be disoriented for another few minutes at least. You need to channel all your energy and thoughts of hate into one single spell. When you're ready, grab your wand from the holster and be ready." He whispered, glad that when he finished his statement, Harry didn't stir again.

His attention was drawn back to where Hermione still laid, seeing Ron struggling to get up. A quick wordless spell had him unconscious again. He stood straight as the masked men began to disperse, some heading towards him and others towards the edge of the clearance.

"Come. Its time to show the world their savior."

"My Lord, if I may make a suggestion?" Draco said, smirking to himself when the other man nodded. "To make the boldest statement, I think your followers should march in an orderly fashion in front of you and Potter dragged in last, after you on the ground. It has the most dramatic effect."

Draco watched the serpentine man think about it and then nodded, motioning to do as he had suggested. Draco kept his face neutral as he noticed that Harry had the tip of his wand out, not enough for others to see, but enough for a spell to work.

They began marching, slowly at first, Draco making sure that Goyle Sr. wasn't hurting Hermione or Ron, who were still both unconscious. Hermione's state was worrying him, but he felt no emergency risks apart from the obvious.

"Gather everyone from the battle. We'll march."

Things happened very quickly. Harry sprang up, luckily, Draco's reflects were so fast that with a wandless spell, he had pulled Hermione and Ron to their side and cast his strongest shield between Voldemort and the deatheaters.

With a tug at his neck, he took out the portkey and sent Hermione and Ron to the infirmary. He turned back and started deflecting the curses that managed to escape the barrier. After a few minutes of intense spell work, he saw a what he suspected was the robed figure of his Aunt Bellatrix coming from the side and aiming for Harry, he ran to the other side and managed to fire a stunner but got blown back by a curse that had his body feeling as if he was on fire.

The last thing he saw before he succumbed to unconsciousness was to green curses meeting in a loud bright burst.

* * *

When Draco woke up, it was dark. He didn't move as he took stock of his surroundings and who was near. The scents had everyone accounted for, Pansy moving back and fourth across the room. Ginny and Harry were somewhere near on his left and Ron was farther away next to them. Hermione's scent was the closest, about 5 feet or so away. He had bandages or something covering a large part of his body and he was craving his mates blood badly.

He sat up, looking first towards Harry. He found the other man sitting up against the pillows, Ginny, at his side, applying some potion to the wounds that were visible. "Harry?"

Harry looked over with a smile. "So, when were you going to let us know that it was you that changed all the house colors to green in 4th year?"

Draco laughed lightly. "What else do you know now?"

"Not much. Its all a bit confusing really. I'm getting a lot of stuff of your mum and Pans."

"Look mate, I'm sorry I couldn't say anything, but-"

"No. stop, I know what happened. You did the right thing. We can talk about all this later on when things are calmer."

Draco nodded, turning to face his wife. She was sleeping, from the smell coming from the vial next to her on the nightstand. He got up slowly, limping towards her bed and sat carefully on the edge, careful not to move her too much.

"I'm sorry, my love." He whispered, leaning down and kissing her gently. The contact lasted only a second, but it relieved the thirst for now. He looked up when he saw Pansy coming up. He stood, noting the angry look in her eyes.

"You ass!" She screeched, pulling her arm back and landing a very solid punch to his left cheek. Before he managed to right himself, he found his arms full of crying girly blubbering. He awkwardly patted her on the back, not knowing what else to do with the usually restrained girl on his lap.

"Pansy, calm down. Its not good for the baby to be so distraught and carry on like that." Ron called out. Draco looked up, returning the ginger boys nod in acknowledgement.

When he managed to get up, he went over back to Hermione's bed and pulled the screen over to give them some privacy. The infirmary was jammed full, so he casted a silencing charm over the small space.

"Please wake up, love. I need to explain everything to you and I know you must think the worst of me, but I had to do things my way." He whispered, bending down to her ear.

He felt her begin to stir and tried to relax his mind so she could feel their link easier. When she opened her eyes, he felt her instantly tense, her fear and nerves hitting him full force. "No, love. Don't think about that. Relax and feel what I'm showing you." Draco said, having to hold her down and it took several minutes for her to calm down enough for the link to be opened.

He felt the deepest sense of betrayal coming from her, but hoped that when she knew the truth, this would all just fade into memories eventually.

"No! You k-"

"I said, calm down and see what I'm trying to show you!" He ordered, hating that he had to use his powers to subdue her. She immediately closed her mouth, but her eyes were shooting daggers at him. He stared into her eyes, forcing their link to open deeper than it ever had before as he showed her everything-from his research into horocruxs, when he started looking into the probability that Harry himself was one and all his planning.

It took about half an hour before she began to really comprehend what exactly he had done. "The things you said…"

"I know, my love. I know it hurt you and I'll do everything I can to make it up to you, but it had to be done. One little slip of the mind and everything would have been for nothing. Voldemort was an expert at invading minds and if he had any suspicion that he was being lied to, we would all be dead."

He reached up to wipe his wife's tears, wanting to just hold and kiss her but knowing that she needed a little more time. "I love you, Hermione. It killed me to say those things, but I had to be done. But now we have the rest of our lives to be together."

Hermione looked into his eyes. She needed to believe everything he was saying, but it was so difficult. "I need to be alone for a few minutes please." Hermione asked him, and with tremendous difficulty he pulled away and walked slowly towards the bed from where he woke up from.

He was extremely thankful when Pansy and Ginny went ot her when they heard her tears. He took the time to look around the room. He recognized most of the injured students and some aurors too.

"No dead, at least from our side. Ministry people are clearing up the death eaters and others from the field right now."

Draco nodded towards Ron, surprised that things had gone so well. he was about to ask what details they knew so far, but the door opened and in walked his mother, grandfather and Katharina.

His mother ran over, engulfing him in a tight hug, kissing him all over his cheeks and forehead, but quickly moving over to where Hermione was, slipping behind the screen to join the other girls.

"You are to be congratulated, my son. I heard and saw how bravely you stood in the fighting and what part you played in the outcome." Draco smirked and nodded, appreciating the praise. "I also trust that your woman is well?"

"She'll recover."

"Very good. The sooner she is, then the sooner we can take her to our own healers and see if there is a reason why she is not with child yet."

"That wont be needed. I can handle things on my own."

Draco didn't need to say anything else, because after just an eyebrow raise, the older man turned to Harry and Ron to offer them congratulations and making some small talk.

Katharina was just staring towards where Hermione was, a strange look that he couldn't decipher really. "Well, your imperial highness, it seems that all went well."

"Than what's the looks? Did you hope for a different outcome?"

"Of course not. I should be insulted that you would even think that. Now, I'll leave you. I've been asked by His Majesty to dismiss the troops since it seems that you and your mate are indisposed." With a slight bow, she left. Draco watched, making a mental note to have some questions answered about her. But for right now, he just needed Hermione to be better and for them to be alone from a while, then he would be able to face everything.


	53. Chapter 53

**AN: Hey y'all-sorry this is a little late! Thanks a million for the reviews-they make me grin like a cat whenever i read them. and for you all that commented on Katharina- she has to do some more bad before we get rid of her! Excited??**

**Read and Review please! Next updates on thursday/friday. sooner if i get inspired**

It had been two weeks since the battle. The three couples had been released from the hospital wing one by one, Ron being the first and harry the last. It had taken them more then half the time that it would normally to get up to their tower because the crowds wanting pictures and such. Celebrations could still be heard from the great hall and the newspapers were writing pretty much the same things over and over about the six teenagers currently in seclusion. Dumbledore had given them enough time for things to die down and be somewhat normal. They still had their lessons, but were mostly allowed to make up their own schedules.

Hermione had thrived in the role of professor to the other four students. She was clearly uneasy with him, even though she believed his loyalty to their little group. But still, they hadn't really gotten a chance to talk much, with Katharina always insisting on being near. When he questioned this, her reply was that she wanted to befriend his mate before they went to visit the kingdom to

He decided to let it go for now, knowing that having a friend would be beneficial to his mate in the meantime. But the most important thing was to get her to one of their healers. She had not been the same for several weeks. If he was honest to himself, he woulde need to admit that part of the problem was his fault also. It was a bitter pill to swallow knowing that their first mating season wasn't successful in making a baby, but they would have children when it was right. He just had to convince himself of that and work on strengthening their bond.

It had been about half an hour after she had excused herself to go to bed. He said goodnight to Ron and Ginny, who were still working on some essays and slowly climbed the stairs that led to their room. He took a deep breath, inhaling the divine scent of his wife. It felt like years since they'd made love when in relatity it was 3 nights ago, but it had been almost out of obligation and over much too soon.

He opened the door slowly and smiled when he saw her over by the vanity, braiding her hair in her green nightgown. He walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "You look so beautiful."

He watched through the mirror as a lovely blush rose over her cheeks, he kissed the nape of her neck, smiling when he felt the shiver run through her body. He knew it wasn't the best idea but he unleashed his allure fully on her, actually feeling her submit to it when she reached up kissed him, pulling away from the vanity table towards his front.

Draco kissed her back forcefully. Hermione moaned, opening her mouth the let him explore it with his tongue, as she gave in and hurried to unbutton his shirt. She ran her fingers across his torso and he hissed in pleasure against her lips. He proceeded to slip the gown off, but quickly lost paitience and ripped the offening garment off her body and grasped her breasts painfully. She arched into his touch even more when he suddenly bit her over her first mark, giving her that strange feeling of weightlessness like always. He moved his lips up to her neck, sucking harder with each gasp that came from her mouth, biting her their too and after a while, he eventually moved back down to her breast again and sucked on each one.

With her husbands' guidance, Hermione undid his pants and slid them down his legs, giving her encouraging murmurs and slowly showing her what to do. When they were both finally naked, Draco slowly led her to the bed, being careful not to do anything that might scare her because he wanted to try some new things tonight. He dimmed the lights with a quick wave of his hand and turned back towards his wife, kissing her gently, urging her to relax enough for her to enjoy everything.

He slowly slid a finger in between her folds while kissing her and she nearly screamed his name as she bucked against his finger. He pulled back, smiling when he saw that her eyes were still closed. "Do you want more? I can make it feel so much better my love if you relax and let yourself go." He whispered against her mouth.

"Anser me Hermione- do you want more?"

When she nodded quickly, he began to decend her body with his lips, eventually replacing his finger with his tongue, plunging into her fast and licking her clean causing Hermione to really scream out. She wove her fingers in his hair and bucked her hips, trying to get to her climax that was so close. Draco sucked on her clit and thrust two fingers in her and she finally came undone, screaming his name and arching her back off the bed, the sensation becaming even stronger when she felt her husband pull back a bit and bite down on her inner thigh.

"Mate, please" she said in between pants, using that title for the very first time. When he looked into her eyes, he saw the blood-red ring around the brown, very similar to his whenever he was feeling strong emotions like now. "Please."

Draco chuckled as he moved back up to kiss her. Hermione could taste herself still on his tongue. He thrust into her gently, wanting her only to feel pleasure. But even for all his care, he heard her softly cry out, so he forced himself to stay still, waiting for her to be ready. When her breathing finally calmed down enough, he wrapped her legs around his waist to bring him in closer.

He really tried his best to reign hiss control but when he tasted her blood again and gelt her tighten even more, he picked up the pace, ramming into her welcoming heat, grunting with effort. He was going to cum soon, but he wanted her to first. He reached in between them and rubbed his thumb on her clit in time with his thrusts. She cried out again as her climax finally crashed through her. Draco's thrusts became erratic as his own orgasm raced through him. He collapsed on top of her, both of them gasping for breath.

He slowly pulled out, feeling guilty when he heard a pained whimper. He reached over to the nightstand and took out a vial of yellow potion. "Here love, take this."

"What is it?"

"Helps with the soreness and speeds up your blood reproduction."

He watched as she drank it all down, looking nervous again. When she tried to turn away, he reached over and moved closer. "No, please love. Look at me." He said, cradling her face in her hand. "I love you so much, Hermione. I'll never say that enough."

"I love you too, Draco." She said softly.

"Then never turn away from me like that."

"But what we just did-"

"Was beautiful and right. We're married Hermione. What we do is normal and there is nothing to be ashamed of. You're my wife and mate and as time goes on, I'll teach you other things that we can do to bring each other pleasure."

Hermione just bit her lip and nodded. She had never known something like that could feel so good, but knew that if they were ever going to be happy together, she needed to give it a try and trust her husband.

"Mione, I also wanted to accept my grandfathers invation, sooner rather then later. I think you should see a healer."

Hermione tensed at this, wondering if he could tell anything yet about the baby. "What for?"

"I just want to be on the safer side. Your blood has a different taste then the first time and I want to make sure you're fine."

"I can have Pansy or Madame Pompfrey check me out."

"Our healers are more advanced. I just want you to be safe and that there are no effects from the curses that managed to hit you or that you threw."

"Can we talk about this some other time?"

"Ok." He pulled her closer again, pulling the covers up to her shoulders. "Don't be nervous love." He whispered into her neck when she tried to pull away.

"Sorry."

"No, its ok. Im so proud of you tonight. You could have stopped everything but you relaxed enough, just like I told you to." He murmured into her neck. He moved his hand slowly down her body, loving how she responded to his touch now, even if it was an automatic response. He held a sliver of hope that she might have conceived tonight, but that wasn't his only reason.

With his past with women and his tastes, his mate couldn't be a prude. He knew for a fact that she would be a passionate lover, it was just taking a little longer to bring her out of her shell. But that was something he could defiantly live with since it was proof of her innocence and he loved that he would be the only one to teach her such things.

When he reached her clit, he notice her cry out in pain, undeniably hurt. He pulled back, searching her eyes.

"Im sorry. That really hurt." She whispered, trying to pull away.

"No, I'm the one who should apologize. I'll have better control next time. That potion should be taking effect soon."

They were silent for a few mintues, Hermione relaxing at Draco's gentle stroking up and down her spine. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course love."

"Is Katharina trustworthy?"

"That I haven't really put much thought into. She's here to help me with my powers, but that's about all I know. Dumbledore gave the go ahead for her to be around. Why do you ask?"

"She wants us to be friends. I didn't know whether to take her offer or not."

"It would be nice for you to have a friend at court for later on, but keep her at a distance until we know more."

He chuckled when he saw her face as she tried to hide a yawn. "Go to sleep, my love. We can talk some more tomorrow." He whispered, kissing her gently. Not a minute later, she had already fallen asleep deeply.

Draco maneuvered them so that he was nose to nose with her, now having the time to induldge in one of his favorite activities-looking at Hermione uninterrupted. The sun had not risen yet when he did go to sleep, full of visions of his wife filling his mind and dreams.


	54. Chapter 54

Hermione sat, trying to be patient. Narcissa had come by this morning to help her get dressed. When she had arrived at nine in the morning, she had thought that there was a mistake in the timing, but now it was almost noon and she was still in a bathrobe.

Narcissa was currently doing her hair, which was rather pointless since a large white picture hat adorned with a dark purple ribbon and flowers sat in front of her on the table in front of her. Her hair had been washed and curled 'properly' and was now being arranged in a big bun that was a little flatter in the top. She just sat calmly, rubbing a hand back and forth over her lower stomach.

"Now, since you're so small to begin with, I think you could get away without tightening the corset, just putting it on to help with the structure of the dress."

The dress in question was hanging on a mannequin, looking as if it belonged in a muggle history book. It was made out of a shimmery pale blue silk, with a wide hoop skirt that seemed to be made out of several layers. The bodice had pearls and jewels sewn in a nice flower pattern. On the bed was a matching cloak that had tiny pearl buttons running from the base of her neck to the floor. (AN: think marie antionette. I'll be posting links)

It took about half an hour with Pansy's help to finally get her dressed. It felt strange wearing something so elaborate but she just stood still, trying not to tear anything as her mother in law placed the pins to hold her hat in place.

"there you go-a truly beautiful vision. You'll be the envy of every woman at court." Narcissa exclaimed.

Hermione turned towards the mirror, just staring. She couldn't believe that it was really her. The woman in the mirror was beautiful, someone who looked like the portraits that she had seen in museums. The gown looked heavy and stiff, but she felt totally comfortable.

"You just stay here, my darling. I need to go get myself dressed and then we'll be all set."

She barely noticed when the older woman left, still looking at her reflection. She didn't know how long, but she finally broke out of her trance when Katharina walked into the room. "My, don't you look lovely." She said with a smile, walking up to stand behind her.

"You're so lucky, Hermione. Just think, with a twist of fate you managed to get yourself one of the most powerful wizards in the world. Have you told him yet?" she asked, motioning to the younger girls stomach.

"No, not yet. We've been rather busy and I don't know how to tell him."

"Well, my suggestion is to wait some more. You husband is under such extreme pressure, that this might be too much for him for now." Katharina turned her back so she could hide the grin.

"Pressure?"

"Of course. I mean with all the attention from your wizarding war, the Malfoy businesses and name on his shoulders and now being prepared to be named heir to his majesty the tsar, its all a bit much. For the sake of his sanity, I would say a word to him yet. At least give him a few weeks before adding this complication."

Hermione narrowed her eyes at that word. Her baby wasn't a 'complication'. It was a part of Draco and herself that was better then they could ever hope to be. She was about to say something but got cut off.

"Forgive me, that came out wrong. I meant to say that its just a lot of pressure on one so young. I would give it a few weeks so things could calm down. That way when you do tell him, nothing will be distracting from the joy."

"I'll think about it." Hermione said, seeing the logic in her argument.

"Of course. And whatever you decide I'm sure it will be for the best. Now, I really came here for. I found this, I'd like to give it to you as a sign of our friendship." She held up a flat black box, about the size of her hand.

Hermione took it and slowly opened the box, looking at the silver hair comb that was covered in emeralds. "Its beautiful."

"Yes, a gift from my mate, about a century ago. I want you to have it." She took it out of the box, and put it right under the hat. "Lovely. Now, lets just wait for Draco to collect you and I'll stay by your side the entire day. I'll tell you everything you need to know. Narcissa has good intentions, but she was never really spent any time at court so her knowledge is only conjecture. I'll be your eyes and ears to everything and everyone. Just trust me."

Draco walked over to his and hermione's room, wanting to see his wife for a little, even if it would be just for a minute before they would have to leave. He knew that something was still not right, but it would take some time to work that out-he had so much to do and not enough hours in the day to do them.

He opened the door noiselessly, seeing her ready, talking softly to Katharina. He needed to remember to find out some more information, but for now, he would have to at least be thankful that she had someone to talk to if she wouldn't confide in him totally.

His grandfather had told him that one of the biggest advantages in having a mate was that if his will was strong enough, a simple command would be enough to have her do whatever it was that he wished. But he wouldn't do it, he still had his pride and humanity. He had loved Hermione before it was known about his inheritance, and he knew that he didn't need any magic compulsion to have her love him as much in return.

"Ladies." He said, knocking on the door jam. He smiled when he saw his wife startle a little, but then blush and look down.

"Your Highness."

Draco rolled his eyes. Katharina had all of a sudden become very formal around her, but not all the time, which drove him crazy.

"'Mione, you ready to go?" He offered her his arm when she nodded. "You look perfect, my love." He whispered into her ear as they reached the heavy book that was to be their portkey.

Hermione didn't reply, but she looked down and smiled. He took her hand and waited until she had a grip on the book before he did the same. Katharina followed suit and activated the key with a wandless spell.

Everything was as beautiful as before. After they landed, guards immediately escorted the four into a carriage. Narcissa had floo'ed in before them so she had sent word ahead to the palace. Hermione couldn't believe her eyes.

Crowds surrounded them, waving their hats and some women were throwing flowers. She looked at Draco and saw the carefree expression on his face-so rare in recent days. He turned towards her and brought her hand up to his lips and gently kissed her wedding ring.

He turned back to look out the window and waved a few times. Hermione turned to the other side and began to wave also, laughing when a group of children started running along side of the carriage. She took the time to look around the streets too, noticing that the buildings looked from another century, everything was beautiful and almost perfect-from the colorful bricks to the onion domed roofs. Narcissa pointed out some buildings that she remembered from the past, pointing out that nothing had changed.

The crowds were so thick that it took them almost an hour to reach their destination. Once they reached the giant palace gates, they passed by miles of fountains, gardens, and lawn. Hermione had to blink several times to realize that this was really in front of them.

The building was white, green and gold. Baroque in style with what seemed to be countless windows and balconies. Hermione couldn't take her eyes off the colossal rectangular building. When the carriage stopped, she realized that the building itself was shaped into what she guessed was a rectangle, the center where they were now mostly gardens and a few small buildings, fitting in with the style.

She tore her gaze away when Draco cleared his throat-she hadn't realized that he had stepped out the carriage. When her feet touched the ground, she looked up and saw about 100 people in two rows looking at them. Near the door, she squinted to see that it was Draco's grandfather.

As they passed, she became subconscious at all the stares. People bowed to them, but she felt their looks regardless. When they finally reached the older man, Hermione followed Narcissa and Katharina's lead and bowed low like they did.

"Draco, ladies, I'd like you to meet my woman-Grand Duchess Anika." The woman smiled, gesturing to a young women in a white uniform to hand her a bowl.

"Traditional gift for the new first woman of the house." She had the same accent as Katharina, but also the same beauty. She held out a heavy ornate silver bowl and when Hermione looked down, she saw that it was filled with pearls.

"Um, thank you. Its too generous."

"No such thing. Magnificence like yours needs to be celebrated, but with your coloring, pearls will be the best. "She replied, caressing Hermione's face.

"Come. There's much to do and all that."

Draco nodded, walking over to his wife and offering his arm. She took it carefully, still aware at all the people behind them. She tried her best to imitate her mother-in-laws posture. They were escorted into a giant room. Four giant floor to ceiling windows faced the east, offering a divine view of some gardens. The main colors in here were white, gold and green. Elaborate screens sectioned off areas that held tables and chaises. Mosaics that seemed to be made out of precious stones decorated the walls and Hermione barely noticed the dozens of men that were in the room.

"The Malachite Room. This is traditionally the formal reception room." Narcissa whispered into her ear.

Hermione just nodded. Finally looking at the man that were standing before them so stiffly. They all seemed to be wearing robes like they had worn during the battle, but they all had medals and decorations on the chests.

"Gentlemen, I'm here to extend to you the privilege of meeting personally my heir, Grand Duke Draco Malfoy. " As a group, all the men saluted. Hermione noticed that Draco just nodded his head as if he expected and that upset her a little that he hadn't said anything.

"And I'd like to present also her Imperial Highness, the Grand Duchess Hermione. I wish for her to be by my side in this ceremony." Draco said, not looking back towards her.

"Go stand on his left side, a feet or two behind him. A lady will hand you medals that you will need to give to your husband." Katharina whispered quickly.

Hermione felt almost numb as she did what she was told, not wanting to cause a scene or anything in front of all these people. She saw a woman dressed similarly to her, then another woman behind her standing behind a table with a small dark chest on it.

The Tsar stood on Draco's right, making introductions. The name of the soldier, his accomplishments and rank were given and Hermione took the medal from the lady's hand and gave it to Draco, who in turn pinned the award on the man's chest and shook hands.

After about 10 of these, Hermione grew bored and let her eyes roam around the room. She still handed out the medals to her husband, but it seemed pointless when he could so easily reach over and do the thing himself. She looked over the whole room. Even the drapes on the windows were beautiful. Everything was made to look perfect, and while she at first thought that so much heavy gold decoration would look gaudy, but everything was balanced out.

"Alexander Briullov, lieutenant of the 2nd class, for the services rendered to Her Imperial Majesty the Grand Duchess Hermione."

She looked up at that, noticing the man who had helped her in the battle. "Did I ever properly thank you?" She said with a smile. She felt Katharina come up to her after a second. "It is not always proper to have the mate speak-especially in such matters." She whispered into Hermione's ear.

"Well, then I guess I'm in your debt." Draco said with a smile after seeing how uncomfortable Hermione was at the focused attention.

Hermione stayed completely silent for the next hour while they finished. Her gaze shifting around the room again, taking in the marvelous gold and crystal chandeliers and the paintings. Katharina stayed behind her, noiselessly following her steps, as if making sure that no more mistakes were made.

Without her realizing it, the men were all dismissed and now she stood alone in the giant room. "Were are you? You seem a million miles away." Draco said softly, caressing her cheek.

"I'm sorry. This is just all so…wow. I've never seen anything like this before."

"I know. Wait until you see our apartments for when we stay."

"When we stay?"

"Well, we have a few things we need to talk about, but for now, I'd like to give you something." He replied with a smile.

They walked over to the fireplace. "I'd like to cast the senseless spell on you so I can get you in the best spot for you to really appreciate everything."

Hermione nodded slowly, just because his eyes and face lit up with excitement like this so rarely. The last thing she saw was his hand passing over. She felt the spell slowly taking her hearing and vision, leaving her clutching her husbands' arm.

She knew that they flooed somewhere, not too far, but a few miles. They were walking for several minutes, but after Hermione struggled to keep up with Draco's longer strides, he just picked up up in his arms and walked at full speed.

When they finally stopped, Draco set her down, turning her slightly. "My gift to you, my love." He whispered into her ear as he took the spell off.

Hermione blinked a few times to adjust to the bright light. She could not believe her eyes. Before her was a garden. Not just any garden though, this one was a riot of every color, every flower that she could ever hope to imagine. Trees, fountains, lattice benches and tables and garden sculptures were everywhere too. Ivy vines were sprawling up and it was then that she noticed a balcony all around, about 25 feet up. She took a step and heard her heals click on the parquet floor. "This is a room?"

"Yes. The Winter Garden. I give this room to you, for your use and pleasure. This garden is always in bloom, even better in winter so you'll see that soon."

"I don't know what to say. It's all so beautiful." Hermione whispered after a few minutes. She turned back to her husband and gave him a large smile, hoping it showed how truly thankful she was.

"I want you to be as happy as I am with this marriage Hermione. I love you more everyday and I'll never stop. I'm trying my very best to make this work, but sometimes I feel like you're hiding something, or that there is problem between us."

She debated telling him. Instincts had her wanting to tell him immediately but what Katharina said still nagged her mind. She knew and had seen it herself how much Draco had on his mind these days. "Draco-can we talk for a second?"

She was about to tell him but the door swung open and Katharina walked in with several woman in tow. They were all dressed in matching gowns, similar to hers but in white. She almost felt like crying, but held it back.

"I just wanted to present you to your ladies quickly before you leave. They wanted to see you and everything, but I'll be bringing them one by one over the course of the week to get them properly introduced."

The seven woman curtsied low and rose. As they were getting ready to leave, Narcissa and the tsar walked in. obviously their private time was over. It might have been a sign that it wouldn't be the best thing to tell him now, but she needed to tell him soon. The longer she held it off, the worse she would feel.

Tea was brought in by another woman in a black gown. The samovar looked heavy and the silver was of course beautiful. Tea and cakes were all arranged so perfectly that Hermione almost didn't want to eat it but her stomach grumbled and she blushed when Draco held out two fingers for her plate and the girl placed another piece of pie on it.

Tomorrow or soon she will need to tell him. It wasn't right keeping such a big secret and like he said, they needed to make the marriage work, so she would need to try as hard as he was to do the right things.

"Well, its time we start heading back to the school." Draco said, standing up and offering his arm to her. She smiled and took it, followed by everyone else.

Now she just had to find the right way to tell him, and explain why she took so long to do so without upsetting him.

**AN: Hey y'all. I finally finished this chapter! Yay! I'll post the links to pictures soon, but its mothers day, so I'll be a little busy, I just really wanted to post this. Happy Mothers Day to all the mommies and aunts and everybody! I'm off to the in-laws for the day…**

**A million thank yous for the reviews-tell me what y'all think and any suggestions for Hermione's telling the hubby? I have one thought out, but maybe someone has a better idea!! Love Y'all!!!!**


	55. Chapter 55

**AN: Hey y'all! Sorry this is a few days late, but I had to change a few things when I read a review, so thanks a mill to crazywildcat17 for the idea, hope I did it justice. Mistyveiledlove---shhh! You'll really like whats going to happen in about 3-4 chapters. **

**To my other reviewers-thanks a zillion! It truly means the world to me to read how people are enjoying my little story! **

**Read and Review Please!**

They walked slowly. Hermione's mind was frantically running through plans. Katharina's warning was still in her head, but it was too difficult keeping this secret from her husband. She needed to talk to him alone, and in a way in which he wouldn't get too upset for stalling so long. The main thing was to be alone. Even when they were in their own rooms, they were surrounded by their friends just a flight of stairs away.

Now, Katharina was almost always near. In the three days since their visit to Eursika, the woman was attached to Hermione's side, only leaving to give Draco 'lessons' and late at night when she was too exhausted to have much to say to her husband.

Nights were difficult too. She practically dropped onto bed after rounds, stirring whenever Draco made it to bed. When she tried to bring it up, he dismissed it, reminding her that he really didn't need much sleep.

Every night, she had seen a pile at least a foot high on the left of his desk, and when she woke up the next morning, they were less, neatly stacked on the right, his signature on most of the parchments that she had managed to sneak peeks at. She wanted to help with something, but Katharina was always there, with a new lady from the court to introduce or some new room that would be needing redecoration. When she asked what her official duties would be, she just got a laugh in reply and that it would take all day to look presentable for all the different functions at court.

She let it drop, knowing that she would cross that bridge when needed. Right now, she was starving, tired and relieved that Katharina left go check on something. She went to Draco's desk, knowing that he kept a large stash of sweets in his desk. It still made her laugh when she thought about his amazing sweet tooth. She took a seat, biting into a fancy chocolate bar that changed flavors with every bite.

She really didn't mean to be nosey, but the parchment was right in her line of sight. As she nibbled on her treat, she read through the list, seeing that it was a listing of different charities. A few other papers were various expense accounts, business proposals and investing requests. She picked up the first paper and settled in, reading the descriptions of the aid organizations and the amount that was being considered to be gifted.

She didn't notice when Draco came in, engrossed as she was reading. She jumped up when she felt lips on her neck.

"Shh, relax Love." He easily lifted her and sat down, putting her onto his lap.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be snooping."

"Its ok, Love. Read anything interesting?"

"Well, are you going to fund any of these?" She gestured towards the parchment.

"What is your opinion?"

For the next half hour, they debated and argued all the pros and cons to each organization that had put in their request. Draco was thrilled, Hermione was had the same fire in her eyes as before, passionately argue. He had been worried about how nervous and shy she was with him since their marriage at times, but now he had proof that she was still the same passionate, feisty girl as before.

"Ok, ok-I surrender. Of course you're right." He said with a smile, he checked off and signed the charities that they both agreed on and placed it in the finished pile.

"You're hungry." Hermione whispered, gently running a finger under the dark circles under his eye. She had recognized that as a sign of hunger for him.

"I'll be fine. I've been on normal food."

"I'm sorry I've been so tired."

"No, you don't need to apologize for that. I'm good for a few days. I might have gone a little overboard last time-I almost gorged myself on you. I promise I'll have better control next time. Besides, we have a Hogsmead weekend this week, so we'll have time to relax and get you rested up." He said, kissing her gently.

When she pulled away after a few seconds, she saw the disappointment in his eyes for a quick second, but she really needed to use their scarce time alone to good use. "Draco, do you think we can go home for a day?"

"Home?"

"Yes, not to the manor, but home. We haven't really been alone for so long. I just thought it would be nice." She replied, blushing fiercely and looking down at her hands.

Draco cupped her face and made her look into his eyes. "I know that the fast few weeks have been crazy, but I promise that things will be better soon. We're almost done with school and then we can shape our lives however we want."

"Even with you being this big shot 'heir' and all that?"

"We'll deal with that when we get to it. But we'll make it work and it'll all be fine. And if you want to go home, I'll speak to Dumbledore in the morning and he'll set up the floo and we will have the whole weekend, just we two and we'll do whatever you want."

When she pulled away from his kiss again, he got the hint and carried her to bed, laughing at her protests. "Now, you stay here, I'm going to take a shower and I'll be right back." He kissed her temple, pulling up the blankets when he straightened up.

Hermione watched him go, a smile on her face that just wouldn't go away. She was happy, when it was just the two of them and nothing too important needed to be done right that second. Since their wedding, there was always something to do; someone to talk too. But now things were calming down slightly, mostly with schoolwork and the people starring, but they all still needed to take their lessons apart from the general populous.

She let her mind wander when she heard the shower turn on; not knowing what was the best way to tell him. She also didn't know what to say to Katharina. The woman had been her friend and there for her when Pansy and Ginny were busy with their own things, but she just couldn't get over the trepidation she felt when in the woman's company.

She had felt it when being introduced to the women of the court, when they had both just sat down to talk and relax. She just wished she understood why she felt that way, but right now she had bigger things to worry about.

She wanted to tell Draco in a special way, to make it so perfect that he would bypass the fact that she had kept it from him for so long. She ran a hand over her stomach, feeling the minuscule semi hard bump that no one would really know it was there. She rested her hand there until she heard the door open and her husband slowly walk in.

"What's it like? I don't think I ever asked you that. When we were training, I used to see you in a blur-you were going so fast." She whispered when he got into bed and pulled her against him.

"Strange. I know in my mind how fast and how strong I am. I know the force of spells before I say them. Everything is so sharp to see that it makes it hard to focus on seeing the 'big picture' and it takes more effort to do things at a human pace. It's easier sometimes when I'm full but still consume human food. The more human I act, the easier it will be in the long run."

Hermione nodded into his chest. She had researched the daywalkers but information was scarce. They apparently kept mostly to themselves, which caused friction a few centuries ago because their magic was so advanced and they refused to share their secrets. "How are we to live when you have to take over the government and all that?"

"I was thinking we would spend one week there and one week home. Alternate the visits as needed. This will be just another part of our lives, not the whole thing."

She nodded again, deciding that it might be best to see how things would go. She relaxed into his body, used to the slight chill his skin came off when he hadn't fed for a few days and the slow irregular beats of his heart. They lulled her into a deep sleep, with dreams of platinum blonde babies with wild curls.

The next morning, Katharina had come and taken Draco away a little after dawn, claiming that they had a lot to go over before the weekend truly began. Hermione walked down to the common room, finding both Pansy and Ginny in front of the fireplace, going over baby catalogs.

"'Mione! Finally, we were getting ready to go find you! Come sit here-we're going through all this baby clothing and could really use your opinion."

Hermione bit her lip, wanting to tell her friends, but Draco would come first, then they would tell their friends together. They spent over an hour, fawning over the moving pictures of chubby babies rolling around in cute little outfits.

Hermione took over the calculations after Pansy gave them a budget, finding out that Ron had received an advance for his employment right after school. Pansy said the name of the company in passing, but Hermione had heard the name before, putting that also in the back of her mind to ask around for it again. Apparently it was a very generous advance and it was enough for them to also start looking around for a nice little house and for them to get settled with that too.

Draco smiled as he heard the girls laughing. They had their heads put together over some magazines and from what they were saying, it was more baby stuff. He wished it was for Hermione, but he knew he had to be patient. Katharina had been hinting at Hermione's lack of success, but he knew that it would happen and the fact that it was taking a little longer didn't mean it wouldn't happen.

He cleared his throat, returning the smile Hermione gave him when she realized that he had arrived. He loved that, when she didn't need words to express her joy whenever he walked into a room. He walked over to them. "Ladies." He said very properly. The girls just giggled and Hermione turned away, looking towards him expectantly.

"We can go whenever you're ready."

Two hours later, they were finally there. The house was just as Hermione remembered it-a direct copy of the pictures in her diary, right down to the walking stones leading to the front door. Draco suddenly lifted her up and hoisted her up onto his shoulder, both of them laughing.

"Put me down you cad!" Hermione yelled, laughing and hitting his back.

"A cad am I? After I work so hard to give into your ever whim and desire?" He teased, maneuvering her to slide back down his body.

"So what would you like to do, love?" He asked, noticing her slight unease.

"You promised me a tour of the gardens. If there is any food here, I can make us a basket and we'll make a day out of it."

"Sure. I had the elves stock the fridge for us. I could call them over to make up a lunch."

"No, I do know how to cook, you know. Can you find a large blanket and stuff? I'll dig up some food and we can be on our way."

She walked into the kitchen, breathing in slowly. Everything was just so perfect. All her muggle appliances that she had always wanted next to the ones that she had been introduced to at the Weasely's house. She went over to the huge refrigerator, noticing that it was indeed stocked well for their visit.

About half hour later, they were slowly making their way to one of the gardens to the east of the property. "Mother wanted me to give this to you know that she won't be spending that much time here. It's a gift from her."

They approached a large wall, covered with ivy leaves and the wooden door almost hidden from view by bushes. "Are you familiar with the story of the Secret Garden?"

"Of course. My dad used to read it to me when I was younger."

"Well, mum fell in love with the idea and recreated it. She wants you to have it now." He withdrew a brass key, handing it to his wife.

Hermione eagerly took the key, smiling at the pale blue silk ribbon bow on the handle. She pushed the heavy door opened and was immediately assaulted with all the smells of the flowers surrounding the area.

It was like she had imagined it in the book. Fountains, wrought iron furniture and statues added to the charm.

Draco took her hand, pointing out the herb and special plants around them. They walked slowly, making their way to a small clearing around the honeysuckle and gardenia's that was located in the middle of the roses. They both spread the blanket and took out the food.

The whole afternoon was perfect. The same attraction that was there from before the whole mating was still there, just stronger and more intimate. They talked about anything and everything, sharing stories about their childhoods, dreams for the future-just everything. Hermione had tears in her eyes when Draco joked about his first steps, that happened to take place a few feet from where they were laying. He had had the foresight to bring his camera and they took pictures, of themselves and the flowers.

They made love slowly, enjoying their time alone to the fullest, wrapping themselves around each other and the blankets, continuing their debate for a while only to fall back into each other's arms again, with whispered words of love and perfect devotion. Draco kissed away her tears, plunging deeper into her, hoping that his words and actions would be enough to convey how completely in love he was with her, his utter worship of her person that he had felt for so long.

They began to slowly get dressed when the sun was setting, Hermione blushing all the while as Draco helped her with her clothing, leaving his off until she was fully clothed. "Want to return the favor?" he asked with a raised eyebrow, holding out his shirt for her.

"I'll make sure to tell your mother that she neglected that part in you vast education if you can't do it yourself." Hermione teased back, looking down.

That earned her a laugh, but she didn't look back at him as she folded their blanket and repacked the basket. Draco kissed her one last time before he took the things from her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder as they began their way back.

"Are you ok?" He asked gently when he heard the gasp as she took the first few steps. He looked down and saw her blushing again.

"Hermione, are you hurt?" He asked again, dropping everything and turning her to face him.

"Um, not really. It just feels strange." She replied barely above a whisper.

"I'm so sorry, love. I'll give you a potion when we get back to the house. Here, climb on." He said suddenly, kneeling in front of her.

That brought the smile back to her face and she did as she was told, grabbing on tightly. "Aren't I heavy?"

"Of course not." He replied, the air easy again. They continued their debate over muggle photography again and that topic lasted until they reached the house again.

"Um, would you like to make dinner with me?"

Draco loved the idea. They walked into the kitchen and he stood back. Watching hormone as she assembled everything in a certain order on the island. The whole scene was very comfortable and domestic. He loved it and hoped that it would become the norm soon.

They worked side by side, falling into a comfortable silence that was only interrupted by heroine when she needed to show him how to do something. She explained that it would be similar to making potions, and that worked and soon they had everything ready or in the oven.

"Want to help me with some paper work while that stuff cooks?" Draco asked suddenly. He knew that he had some paper work waiting for him and not using Hermione's brilliant mind would be a waste. He took her hand and led them to the small office near the main bedroom.

He began explaining some of the Malfoy Holdings business practices and agendas. He was proud at how quickly she grasped concepts and how she explained her suggestions. They got through a fair amount of the contracts that were waiting for his attention before the timer buzzer, signaling that dinner was ready.

Dinner passed just like the day have, with the two of them sharing things from their past and with Draco explaining his future plans with the company that was thrust onto him.

They cleaned the kitchen together, joking and laughing so comfortably that Hermione was almost totally at ease. They made a bigger mess in the kitchen then she would have normally, but Draco was right there with her, scrubbing and cleaning without one complain.

"Do you mind if I go shower and get ready for bed?" Hermione asked when they were done and the hallway grandfather clock chimed out the time.

"Want some company?" Draco asked, pulling her closer by her hips.

She just blushed, looking down again. "Ok, why don't you go do that and I'll run up to the manor and get those papers ready to be sent and tell the elves we'll be fine for the night." Draco replied, not wanting to ruin the good mood.

With one last kiss, he turned away and gathered the parchments they had finished already, waiting for the sound of the bathroom door closing to leave.

Hermione waited for the sound of the floo to stop, knowing that she didn't have much time. She took the fastest shower of her life and then ran to the walk in closet that was connected to the bath. She locked all the doors, clutching the robe tighter around herself, knowing that he might be back any minute. Her mind was racing, wanting this to be perfect after such a wonderful day. She began pacing when she heard the bedroom door open.

"Love?"

"I'm just getting dressed!" She called out, a slight panic in her voice but she hoped that he wouldn't notice.

She was still pacing when she heard the shower turn off and Draco try to open the door. "Hermione? Open the door so I could get dressed too."

She bit her lip and ran to his side of the closet, grabbing a pair of soft gray sleep pants and opening the door just enough to thrust her hand through and pass them to him.

"Are you ok?"

"I'm fine, I just need a few minutes."

"Ok. I'll be in bed. Don't forget to put away your key, love. It's the only way through the wards in the garden."

Hermione closed her eyes and let that sink in. even before their marriage, Draco had always brought little gifts for her since the start of their friendship, whether it was a flower that he saw on the ground that caught his eye, or even that winter garden in the palace.

She took a deep breath and looked around, digging through the drawers for a few minutes and finally finding some long ribbon. She bit her lip again as she held her wand carefully over the yellow band.

She closed her eyes, thinking of the proper thing to write. Smiling when she finally got it and let her wand glide over the area, she carefully wrapped it around her waist, looking into the full mirror to make sure that the bow was in the right place.

She slipped on her underwear and one of the nightgowns that had several layers so that the bow wouldn't show. She slipped on a robe over that and took a few more deep breathes. Slowly, she opened the door, finding Draco by the fireplace, back bare and turned away from her.

He turned and was if front of her in the next second, apparently forgetting to move slow enough for her to see again. "Are you alright?"

She nodded, biting her lip once more to try to ease her nerves. "I love you, Draco. You know that, right?"

"Of course. I love you too." He replied with a smile and a gentle kiss.

She watched their intertwined fingers, always loving how their skin was so different but still so alike, like they always belonged together. "I have a g-gift for you." She stuttered. She lead them over to the bed, but dimmed the light a little first, just leaving enough so that he would be able to clearly read what she had written.

She sat him down and her hands started shaking as she took off her robe. When she got to the nightgown, she her Draco's breathe hitch, and her nerves got too bad for her to continue to take everything off.

"Love? Are you ok? We don't need to do anything tonight. We can just go to bed."

"N-No. It's fine."

"Do you want me to help you?"

Hermione nodded slowly, working up the courage to look into his face as he slowly unbuttoned the tiny pearls on the strap of her nightgown, kissing her shoulders before letting the silk drop. Draco smiled wide when he saw the ribbon, kissing her on the corner of her mouth and moving her to stand closer to her. "The best and most beautiful gift in the world." He whispered.

Hermione brought her hands up, holding him away at arms' length. "C-can you sit and read the ribbon?" Hermione asked, trying to smile.

Draco humored her, sitting on the bed and pulling slowly on the end of the yellow bow. It was then that he saw that she had indeed written something. When he got the bow undone, he had to blink a few times to make sure that he was seeing it right.

_**Hello Daddy! **_Was written in green, Hermione's neat script different then regular, seemingly more rushed. He looked up into her eyes. She had tears running down her rosy cheeks, a watery smile on her lips. "A baby? You're carrying my baby."

She nodded quickly, gasping when Draco picked her up, spinning her around a few times. "Merlin, Hermione! A baby! My baby!" Draco's face started to hurt after a few seconds because he was smiling so hard.

Hermione just clung to him, a feeling of happiness and peace settling over her as Draco laughed and kissed her all over her face. "You're not upset?"

"Upset? Why the devil would I be upset? This is the happiest day of my life!"

"Draco, I've known for a while now. I-I didn't know how to tell you-I mean after the war and now with all the things that you have on your mind."

"Hermione, we can discuss all that another time. I am…put off that you kept this from me the whole time. But I know that you must have put some protection since you put everything at risk with your choice to fight, but for now, all that matters is that you are carrying my child." He held her close, rubbing her back soothingly.

"I've been so scared. I didn't know how you'd react."

"How could you doubt that I'd be anything other than ecstatic? The only even in my life that even compares to this is when we got married."

"I'm so sorry."

"No, tonight's not for apologies." He said, wiping her tears away gently. He carefully carried her to bed, removing her underwear without any protest. He dropped his pants too, climbing into the bed behind her and spooning her, placing his hand on her lower stomach.

"I didn't hurt you this afternoon, did I?"

"No, you're mother has been helping me and she's been giving me advice."

Draco felt a quick flare of rage. His mother knew about his child before he even had a clue. But he needed to let it go, again not wanting to spoil the day. "Does anyone else know?"

"One other person, but I'd like to keep that to myself for now."

"Very well, we'll talk about it whenever you're ready." He replied, bending lower to kiss the nape of her neck.

"Tell me everything." He whispered.

They spoke about the baby until the early hours of the morning, Hermione drifting off to sleep at some point before they started to discuss baby names. Draco wasn't tired at all, too much had happened today for him to be able to settle down.

He looked up to make sure that she was really asleep before he pushed the blankets down and moved to have his face next to her tummy. He looked and noticed that their indeed was a tiny bump. "Hi baby. I'm your father. I love you so very much." He whispered, placing gentle kisses all around her belly.

After this weekend, he would need to have a talk with his mother, and eventually Hermione herself but only when he knew he could discuss everything rationally.


	56. Chapter 56

**AN: Real life can suck major balls. I know that I might have lost a lot of readers because of my absence, but I really am sorry. Apart from the writer's block from hell, I've had to deal with other stuff also, but I have to say a million thank you's for all the reviews. I read each and every one of them and I'm amazed and so very thankful! I love them! **

**This chapter is kind of short, but the next chapter is the set up for the major drama, so I'm trying to follow my outline. More Katharina and Jane to come soon too!**

Hermione slowly became aware of the bright light flooding the room. Birds were near the window and the sheer silk curtains did nothing to hide the sun unless the shutters were closed. She tried to turn over but was stopped by Draco, who was currently whispering to her stomach.

"You do know that it can't hear you yet, right?" She asked with a giggle.

"Oh, shush you. I'm bonding with my baby." Draco said with a laugh. He continued to murmur against her stomach, too low for Hermione to catch most of what he said. A weight had lifted from her shoulders, she felt as if she could really breathe freely now. The only problem would now be Katharina. Plus, she would need to keep a closer eye on Draco, just to be positive that this news wouldn't add extra stress to her husband.

Draco slowly rose up to her, maneuvering her so that her back was pressed to his chest. With a wave of his hand, the curtains around the bed closed, encasing them in darkness. "Tell me what it's like?"

They talked for hours, light conversation about their own childhoods and what they wanted for their own children. Hermione was surprised by that. Draco told her that he wanted as many kids as she would bear him. That just made her smile, thinking about a home full of laughing blonde and brunette children and living a long loving life surrounded by their friends and family.

"When are we supposed to get back?"

"I told Dumbledore that we'd be there this afternoon. But I can send an owl if you'd like to stay longer."

Hermione just shook her head and smiled. "I think we should go back. We have that herbology essay to finish."

He rolled his eyes. "You know, for such a good student, I would have figured that you had that all finished."

"Well, we can't all have had your obsessive tutoring when young." She replied with narrowed eyes. She sat up on the bed, not liking the fact that an argument was brewing so early after the day before.

"Don't be upset, love. Between the two of us we're the top students in the whole school. Even with my so called advantages, you're still getting better marks in half our classes. And that's without any prior knowledge of magic before. It's one of the things I love the most about you."

Hermione nodded and relaxed against his chest again. "Sorry."

"It's not a problem. I think we're both under a lot of stress and we need to start taking it easy. I don't want you to have any extra worries while you're in delicate condition."

Hermione couldn't help but laugh. "Please don't tell me that you're going to be one of those overprotective husbands that won't let me do anything for nine months."

"I just want everything to be perfect. Are child is going to have the perfect life and I want you to remember this time with only with happiness."

"Are you sure that this is ok? I just don't know where we're going to have the time for much. You're already overwhelmed with everything."

"I'm perfectly fine, love."

"Don't lie to me. I know how little you sleep, if you do at all. With everything that's happening, I want to make sure that it doesn't all become too much for you."

"School will be over in a month. After that, we'll get into an easy routine and wait for the baby. All the other stuff can take the back seat."

"And you could run all the Malfoy business's and do whatever it is that you're supposed to do with your grandfather."

"I'm dissolving a few of the companies more shady connections. With the people that I've been speaking with to hire, my involvement will be minimal after a year or two. After that, we'll make time to travel the world, do whatever we wanted too."

"You make it sound so simple."

"It is simple. Anything you want will be yours."

"I just want to have a nice quiet life with you and our family."

"Then that's what we'll have."

He began to push her back down onto the mattress when they both stopped as hermione's stomach growled. She blushed, trying to hide her face under the pillows.

Draco laughed, bending to place a kiss over a bite mark from last night, slowly going lower to kiss her still flat belly. "I need to take better care of you and how you eat, I guess. Come on, let's go feed you two."

Commencement ceremony practices began two weeks after their last day at home. Meetings were being set up to discuss future apprentinships and the like, but Hermione had agreed with Draco that she would wait until the baby is born before she would start to consider future employment, Draco making it clear that the happiest solution would be for her to concentrate on being a stay at home mother, but she couldn't consider that yet really.

Right now, Hermione had finally managed to escape Katharina's sight and had sought out Pansy and Ginny so they could spend the afternoon outside enjoying the nice weather. Poor Pansy was suffering with nausea and a rapidly growing belly, leading to jokes about her having twins. Ron meanwhile has been handling everything with surprising ease, spoiling Pansy with everything she requested, no matter the time.

Pansy was trying to make sure that they all had their little house furnished in time for the end of school and making sure that everything was within their budget. "What do you think of these?" She asked, holding up a few swatches for drapes.

Hermione was trying to pay attention, she really was but she wasn't feeling well. Ever since she had parted with Draco a few hours ago, she had the need to go seek him out and be closer, but she pushed the feeling down, knowing that he needed time to relax too. He had mentioned an interhouse Quidditch practice game set up for today and wanted him to enjoy himself.

Over the past few weeks, she had felt the constant desire to always be around him, even going so far as to sit in during Slytherin house meetings, much to her own displeasure. Draco of course loved it, always finding a reason to touch her somewhere and placing kisses wherever he could reach.

She would be around her husband even more if it wasn't for Katharina. She was always around, with someone to introduce her to or something that needed her attention for the palace. It overwhelmed her at times and now their new project would be deciding on a wardrobe for the upcoming 'season'. According to Narcissa, she will be the one that the other women in the court looked to when choosing the looks that will be popular, and according to Katharina she needed to spend a lot of money to achieve the 'proper' look. That little tidbit bothered her when she thought about the amount that was being spoken about on some dresses.

A seamstress was brought in with 5 other women and over a dozen large trunks filled with silks and damasks and every other fabric that Hermione had ever heard of and most that she hadn't. Katharina had pushed for the heavy, antique styles with ornate designs and jewels but she held back on placing the order until she could think about it.

She had also met with her future ladies. According to Narcissa, they were to be her companions whenever she was at court. They all seemed lovely, but she was taken aback that they were all chosen without her opinion at all. They were all nervous and the short meetings were terribly formal, and Hermione wasn't very sure of what counted as polite conversation yet, so she tried her best.

She loved to spend time with her friends, but still craved to be alone with her husband. Just this morning, she was sorting through their drawers when her fingers came into contact with one of his green silk neck ties. Before she could really think about it, she shoved it into her bag, continuing to rub it between her fingertips whenever she wanted to run to his side.

Hermione shook her head quickly and focused on her friends. The girls had yet to visit their home, so Hermione suggested a weekend away when the school year ended. Both readily agreed and before they could talk about something else, Harry flew passed them, turning back around and hanging upside down from his broom to give Ginny a kiss.

They all laughed, Hermione quickly turning when she caught Draco's scent on the wind. She had been noticing that in the past few days but pushed it down and smiled as her husband slowed the broom and came to a stop in front of her.

"Want to go in?"

Hermione looked towards their friends, Ron having just stopped behind Pansy. "Can we stay for a little? It's such nice weather still."

Draco nodded and they both sat down, Hermione getting pulled into his lap comfortably. They spent the next few hours talking about their future plans when Hermione saw Katharina walking towards them. She tried to stay relaxed, reminding herself that the woman was trying to be her friend, even if not everything felt right. Hermione knew that it was for Draco's benefit that the woman was still here, so she would suck it up and be friendly also.


	57. Chapter 57

**AN: writers block is gone! finally! this is almost a filler chapter and the next one should be out (crossing my fingers) by thursday, maybe earlier depending on reviews/mood/insipration. **

**LOVE LOVE LURVE all the reviews-thanks for sticking with this. **

Hermione looked behind her, spotting her father again sitting next to Mr. Weasley and the rest of the family a few row behind her. Harry and Ron were a row behind and down the right, a few seats apart. Draco of course was next to her, and he would give his speech first as the head boy and second best student by a few points.

When they had received their final marks, Hermione had been surprised that she had beat him in grade average by two points. Draco had exclaimed loudly and repeatedly how very proud he was of her, writing to her father himself about it all and to anyone who would listen. She was nervous at first, knowing how important Draco's marks were to him, but after the first day, she realized that he was honestly happy about it, most importantly-he was _proud _of her.

They had spent hours writing their speeches, having a couple of nights to themselves to relax and Hermione noticed that her desperate need for her husband slowly diminished as they managed to spend time alone together. She still carried his tie, but had calmed down more.

She listened as each professor gave a speech, clapping along with everyone after Professor Flitwick ended his. She turned to look behind, spotting her father again in the crowd. Dumbledore slowly made his way back up to the podium. After a short word, he introduced Draco.

She looked at him, squeezing back after he raised their joined hands and placed a kiss on her wedding ring. Her heart was bursting when she noticed that he received applause from all four houses, not just from his own friends either, but the great majority of the school cheered as he took the podium.

"Thank you all. You know, if someone would have told me that I would get such a reception like that last year, I would have hexed them. I know that for the majority of our school career, I haven't warranted such meaningful friendships which I now treasure above so many things.

"I would also like to thank my wife. I can say with all confidence that I would not be here today without her by my side. There is so much more to say that would probably take up the entire afternoon, so I'll spare you all the embarrassment.

"I'll end with only saying that although it sounds cliché, we truly have the new beginning that our forefathers wanted for us, we're the generation that is going to shape our world for centuries to come so I urge you all to have a united front and grasp the future that you want in your hands and let's not forget those who are not here to enjoy the same privilege."

The student body stood and cheered, even most of the Slytherins, albeit with slightly less enthusiasm. Hermione watched proudly as her husband walked off the stage and slowly made his way towards her, his progress deterred by their friends offering congratulations.

"Now our next speaker should come as no surprise, since the very first week that she spent here, her academic record is above reproach. Her brilliant mind impressed her professors throughout the 7 years she's been here and her school mates would no doubt say even more. I'd like to call up Mrs. Hermione Malfoy, our beloved head girl."

Hermione could only see Draco catching her eyes, a smirk on his face as she slowly stood up and walked towards him, clutching the tips of his fingers when they passed each other for an extra second.

She saw all her friends with wide grins, cheering enthusiastically but didn't hear anything. She walked up the stairs, returning the warm embraces she received from her professors, even Snape and Trelawney offered their reversed congratulations.

She took her place at the podium, looking out into the crowd of her family and peers. She zeroed in on a specific few for a few seconds, but then turned her eyes towards Draco, who offered a smile and a wink, then the feeling of calmness overtook her and she was able to begin her speech.

Hermione stood next to Draco as they mingled after the commencement ceremony, surrounded by their group of friends and family, waiting for the crowd to thin out a bit before they all were to head towards Malfoy Manor instead of large party that the ministry was throwing for the new graduates. They all agreed to just have a nice quiet evening at the home and spend time together before they all began their commitments.

While Ginny finished up her last year at Hogwarts, Harry had been investing his money in various small businesses, even some partnerships with Draco, so he planned to spend the year learning different trades to see which one he liked the most and maybe settle to personally run one.

Ron would begin in a week at Draco's broom manufacturing plant while Pansy would set up house and rest until the baby came, with the help of Molly. She was taking the new lifestyle tremendously well ad seemed to thrive at having her own small home and Ron was doting on his wife lovingly.

Pansy slowly made her way over to her other side, leaning down slightly closer to whisper is her ear. "Does she _have_ to always be around now?" She said, motioning discreetly with her eyes towards Katharina, who was silently observing their group.

"She's doing nothing wrong. Can you please make an effort to be a bit nicer? She's trying too and she's been nothing but kind to me and very helpful."

"Don't let your guard down with that one, 'Mione. I don't trust her one bit and I'm an excellent judge of character."

Hermione just smiled and rolled her eyes, rejoining the conversation. Draco had just extended an invitation to Neville and his grandmother to join them for dinner, so their group had grown by two more.

When the great hall was finally mostly cleared, they all began to move towards the main doors, which where Draco had ordered carriages for the trip back to the manor. Draco had not removed his arm from her waist throughout the whole evening, but she found that they could walk completely comfortable still. Every few minutes Draco would pause the conversation with whoever it was to bed down and kiss her gently somewhere, or ask if she needed anything. It was extremely sweet ad she loved the attention that he was lavishing on her.

The group separated into the three waiting carriages, Pansy apologizing the whole way to them since she couldn't apparate or floo anymore because of her size. They all brushed her off as she got into the last carriage behind them with a few others. Theirs was going to be shared with Katharina, Narcissa, Kinsley, Harry and Ginny. Katharina was silent throughout the whole hour, only nodding or some other gesture with her head but not saying one word.

When they arrived at the manor, Hermione and the other women sent the house elves away while they looked around the pantry and icebox to start on dinner themselves. Hermione and Pansy stood right next to Molly, who was showing them all the different spells and tricks that she knew about cooking, and giving both of them household tips.

Between the lot of them, they had dinner set in a little over an hour in the dining room of their cottage. The only help that the elves provided was actually transporting their dishes across the property and so they felt that the compliments that the men were paying them at that moment were justified. They all sat down to eat, Katharina excusing herself in order to use the floo connection, but Pansy and Ginny made sure that they all knew that she would not be missed.

Everyone complimented Draco and Hermione over the house, and the hours passed quickly, with laughter being the main noise coming from the group. The adults excused themselves at around midnight and the others were asked to spend the night at least so that they could all have breakfast in the morning together.

"So, should I start calling you 'Princess Hermione' now?" Ginny asked with a grin when Pansy left, being carried by Ron since she was so tired.

"Don't be ridiculous. I'll hex you if you ever call me that."

"Well, it's true. Who would have known that Draco Malfoy was this big shot heir to a whole kingdom? I mean, we all knew he was filthy rich, but this is so much bigger. How are we ever going to spend time together?"

"We'll figure it out. Draco promised that we'll split out time equally after things settle down. It'll take time but we will figure it out."

The two girls fell asleep leaning against each other under an afghan blanket and that's how Draco and Harry found them an hour later. Draco showed him where they could stay and went down to where his wife was resting.

"You know, court life might be difficult for someone like her." Katharina said from the shadowy corner in the room.

"Why would you say that?"

"Look at this place- her 'dream home'. It's completely plebian. I've been teaching you how the court works-how can she possibly fit in with the way things are run?"

"Then I guess we will have to start changes so that she will fit in."

"You can't change customs that have been around for hundreds of years. You can't just throw out traditions on the whim of a girl."

Draco turned towards her, fangs instantly out and eyes beginning to redden.

"Now, now-I'll be around to help on course. She'll be my little pupil and I'll make sure she never embarrasses you."

"I want you to leave now." Draco said harshly, turning back towards his wife.

When he lost her scent, he carefully lifted his wife into his arms and carried her towards their bedroom and levitated the covers back. With a wave of his hand she was nude. He undressed too, maneuvering them both so that he could spoon her, without really wakening her up.

"Draco?" She mumbled a few minutes later.

"Yes, love? Go back to sleep." He whispered, placing a soft kiss on her shoulder.

"Promise me that we won't change? That everything will be alright." She muttered softly.

"I promise my love. Sleep now; we have a long day ahead.


	58. Chapter 58

Hermione woke up alone. The gray skies threatened rain, but hopefully would hold off until they departed. She tried to get up slowly, worried that her morning sickness would start up and breathed a sigh of relief when the wave of dizziness passed quickly.

She was drawing a bath when she felt rather then heard Draco coming into their suite. "I'm in here." She called out, adding some oils that she found in the cabinet. She smiled up at him when he bent down to give her a quick kiss and gently placed his cold palm on her lower belly.

"How are you love?" He asked, sitting down behind her on the ledge of the tub. Hermione shivered as he slid his hand under the her robe to touch her belly.

"I'm alright." She replied, sinking back to curl into him as the water rose. "You're so cold. Do you need to, um, 'feed'?" she asked, blushing a bit when she thought of his preferred method of drinking from her body.

She felt his smile against her neck, two razor sharp fangs scratching her jugular lightly. Not enough to break the skin, but enough to make her lightheaded. "Is that an offer, sweetheart?"

"Behave Draco!" She replied with a laugh, shoving him back a little playfully. With some sweet words and a few laughs mixed in with Hermione's blushes, he managed to convince her to let him into the tub along with her.

"I wish you wouldn't shy away from me so much." He said quietly while joining their hands over her stomach under the water.

"I'm sorry." She replied. She tried to stay as still as possible when he pulled her closer on his lap. "It's just that I never really knew this side of married life. I mean look at the example I grew up with."

"We aren't our parents. Our married life will be what we make of it and I don't want to have to live with the memories or anything from that time in our lives. We are going to do things our way, and whatever mistakes we make will be because we make them-not from our parents."

"You're right. And I will try to do better, Draco. I promise."

"I don't need you to do better, but relax and be yourself. I know that all this is new to you so I do not expect things to be like what I'm used to so we'll use everything as a learning experience"

"So you don't compare me to the other girls that you've been with?" Hermione asked, afraid of the answer to the question that had been in the back of her mind since they had first started going together.

"Love, nothing and no one can compare to you. I married you. I am bound to you in every way possible." he turned her around to straddle him. "I wish i could just make you see how you truly encompass my every thought and action. I love you so much, Hermione And its not just since I turned, I was planning on talking to you when I had mustered up the courage."

Hermione smiled and closed the distance between them and turned up her head to kiss him. She bit back her first response of trying to back away when she felt his hands pull her even closer, feeling how much he enjoyed their current position.

She couldn't hold back the cry when he entered her and bit down on her neck at the same time, holding her hips steady while he seemed to savor the steady flow of blood that was coming out of her vein.

He pulled back after a minute, looking at her with half opened eyes. "Just feel. Let yourself go with your body." He seized her lips when he pulled her hips down, knowing that keeping her senses as occupied as possible would help keep her calm and let her enjoy his attentions longer.

Hermione followed his suggestion and gave in to the euphoria that she was feeling. The pain of his entrance was unnoticeable in comparison to the extreme pleasure of his thrusts now and she couldn't form a discernible thought.

After a few minutes, she felt herself explode. The climax came so suddenly that she opened her moth to cry out but no sound came, only a harsh gust of air. A few seconds later, she felt the Draco's pace become erratic, and he bit down on her breast, forcing another orgasm from her.

He collapsed next to her, his breathing almost back to normal. While she tried to catch hers, he pulled her to his side. She loved it when he would help her calm back down by his gentle touches, always letting her feel wonderful.

When Hermione regained her bearings, she looked up at Draco with a smile. He stopped her arm when she tried to cover herself with a sheet and she let it go, liking how affectionate he was being. She cuddled closer to him, liking how much faster his heart was beating and how warm his skin was. She was learning about his day walker nature and had noticed that he could go about five days before his skin would start being cold to the touch and his mood was short.

"How is it going to be when we go? I mean, being the heir to a whole country is never what I really expected when we got married." she said quietly.

"It'll be however we wish it to be. I didn't expect this either, but we'll get through it just fine. We just need to adapt our lives to include what makes us happy and what we should do."

After that, they laid together, sometimes talking or drifting in and out of sleep. A house elf with about 19 socks covering its tiny body brought them food every few hours and Hermione laughed at Draco's pout. Even when they were just friends, she had demanded that he free all the Malfoy family elves or at least give them rights.

When an owl began pecking at the window, they knew that the outside world would have to be let in. most owls automatically went to the owlery but a few we allowed to come directly upon the main property. When Draco stood to open the window without a stitch of clothing on, Hermione took advantage and after grabbing her wand from the nightstand, she had Draco's robe wrapped around his body.

"Spoilsport!" He called out with a laugh over his shoulder. She sat up and wrapped a bed sheet over her upper body, hugging her knees to her chest as he read the parchment, absently stroking the jet black owl on the window sill.

He ripped a corner of the sheet and pressed his crest ring against the paper, giving it back to the owl. He walked back to the bed, shrugging off the robe with a smile and tugging the sheet off her body, but covering them both up again.

"We're to be presented at court officially later today if we can make it. The floo will be opened for us this afternoon." He handed her the letter, twirling his wedding band around his finger while Hermione read.

"Are you sure we'll be OK? I mean, this is so much to take on." She said softly, putting aside the parchment on the nightstand.

"I said it before, we'll be great. After we get used to how things are run, we will divide our time at home equally."

they spent the next hour just talking, calming most of Hermione's fears. When the clock chimed noon, they both began getting dressed, with Draco telling Hermione that they would change into "proper" clothes before the official ceremonies took place.

An hour later, they both spun into a new fireplace with Draco holding her steady until the room stopped spinning. Hermione smiled up at him in gratitude before turning to observe the room. It seemed small, but the furnishings were all obviously expensive. Narcissa stood in a group with military looking men and Katharina was staring at them.

Hermione managed to have a quick peek outside a window before she was lead to another room. Their, the women that she had been introduced to before were waiting next to a large trunk. They were all serious, silently offering a curtsey and they separated towards the trunks.

Two walked up to Hermione, bowing again and silently moving to undress her. She was about to protest when Katharina shook her head, offering a little smile. She was stripped down to her underwear and when they went to remove those, Hermione noise of complaint went ignored.

The two women left her old clothing on the floor and put on her a thin chemise with embroidered edges that reached her ankles. Two of the other girls came over and Hermione was literally stuff into a corset. It would have been quite beautiful if it wasn't so constricting and stiff, with its flowery print in a creamy pink color.

**AN:** **ok everyone-I know its really been forever, but real life has a way of kicking people when they're down and now I can tentatively say that things are starting to look up. A million thank yous to every single like, review and follow and I hope to not disappoint. (A very special thanks to StarGirl and redskittlebaby3) Also, if anyone wants to beta or preread for me-let me know.**

**next update has no 'date'. I've written 2 pages worth, and will try to push out something good asap. **

After that, it was layer upon layer of thick fabric. When she went to museums with her parents years ago and saw the Tudor portraits, she would have never in a million years thought that she might ever wear something like what was painted, but she certainly was now.

They were all silent for the entire time, not even looking directly to Hermione's face. When they were done dressing her, two of the women led her to a vanity and began threading a ribbon with pearls through her hair as two others began draping her with ropes of pearls and gemstones. She was decked out with rings, a stomacher, bracelets and necklaces.

She grimaced when she caught sight of her reflection, it looked like she was a kid playing dress up with the crown jewels and with her inability to move easily, she wanted to call the women off. But their serious demeanor and the silence of the room stopped her. The last thing she wanted to do was to mistakenly offend some sort of custom. For all she knew-this was how women were supposed to dress so she told herself to buckle down and bare it.

When Katharina finally proclaimed that they were done, Hermione breathed a sigh of relief and managed to stand up slowly without too much help.

"Now, remember to walk slowly, and always a step behind your husband even when walking arm in arm. All you have to do is nod and smile today since no one expects much from you and accept the offerings of flowers with another nod of your head and that will be a cue for one of your ladies to take it for you. You are not to reach out for anything yourself-it would show too much favor to one particular family."

Hermione listened carefully, knowing that even though their 'friendship' was tentative, Katharina wouldn't sabotage her in public and risk Draco's anger. She walked out of the room with the older woman to her left and the nearly silent ladies in two lines following behind with only the gentle rustle of fabric making their presence known.

When she finally caught sight of Draco, she smiled-noticing that he had changed into a military style robe of deep crimson like many of the men surrounding him. He walked over, and kissed her hand gently then tucking it under his arm and Hermione felt a blush coming over her cheeks when each man bowed low as they passed.

She tried to pay attention-she really did, but the dress was so heavy and tight and the vision of so many people took their toll and by the end of the hallway, she had a massive migraine. When they made it to a gigantic room with crystal chandeliers and large windows, the pair were slowly introduced to about a hundred courtiers, each proclaiming their title, name and family connection.

Hermione just did as Katharina advised: smile, nod and turn her head slightly to take the flowers and tokens of friendship that were being offered and taken by one of the silent girls next to her. Draco was doing much of the same, only speaking to certain army people when they came up to the beginning of the line.

After the sun set, it was finally time to return home. After politely declining the invitation to stay, it was agreed that they would begin to take up residence part time at the palace and work on living arrangements from there.

They managed to open the door to their little cottage just as darkness took hold outside, Hermione finally kicking off the painful high healed shoes. Draco gave a small chuckle when he heard her sigh in relief. "Have I told you how stunning you looked today?" He asked, bending lower and kissing her neck.

"Really? You actually liked all this?" She questioned back, motioned towards her entire body.

"Well, to be honest I would like you in a potato sack, but I had a vision of you only wearing all those pearls."

Hermione couldn't hold back the laugh that exploded, making Draco laugh as well. "You're hopeless. But I think I have to talk to that woman who is going to order my clothing when we're there. Putting all this on every day would be impossible."

"Well, not everything is impossible." Draco said with a wink, tracing the strands of pearls hanging around her neck. In the blink of an eye, Hermione found herself against the wall, her laugh being swallowed by her husbands lips.


End file.
